Equipped with the kind of record that speaks for itself and nearly two decades of managerial experience, Fabio Capello is the sixth manager to attempt to lead England to World Cup glory. Known for his no-nonsense approach and tactical knowledge, the Italian has won domestic titles with every club he has managed. As he attempts to chart a steady course through the tournament in South Africa, Capello will be forced to draw on every one of his years of experience.
Capello’s managerial career got off to a flying start at AC Milan, where he led the Rossoneri to the Scudetto four times in five seasons. After Milan, Capello went on to taste success with other continental giants such as Juventus, Roma and Real Madrid.
Having taken over from Steve McLaren, Fabio Capello’s arrival was immediately reflected in England’s performances on the pitch. He stamped his authority by introducing more intensive training and a number of new rules aimed at improving team spirit and making the squad more focused on winning. This new mentality was evident in England’s World Cup qualifying campaign. England won all their matches except one, notching up 34 goals in the process.
Given the level of respect Capello commands from players and his impressive knowledge of the game, it is tempting to draw parallels between him and England’s most successful manager, Alf Ramsey. Both Ramsey and Capello would never give any support to the idea that any one player could enjoy a special status within the team. On a 1964 tour of Brazil, a number of England’s players failed to stick to an agreed curfew, returning to their rooms to find their passports waiting for them on the beds.
Like Alf Ramsey, Bobby Robson, arguably the England manager remembered with the most affection, managed at Ipswich. But Robson was a different kind of manager to both Capello and Ramsey. He enjoyed success at some of Europe’s top clubs, including Barcelona and Porto, motivating his players with his infectious enthusiasm for the game he loved. As an international manager, he led the Three Lions at two World Cups, including Italia ’90 when England enjoyed their most successful season since 1966.
With his extraordinary CV and wealth of experience, it is hard to think of anyone better placed to try to emulate the achievements of Ramsey and Robson than Fabio Capello, together with the England captain Steven Gerrard.
