THE BIG ISSUE

Who should be the next England manager?

Me, says Fabio Capello

“All challenges fascinate me. The challenge of coaching a national side such as England would be something different. The job is not about coaching every day. It would be a very difficult challenge but a very exciting one. I was convinced [Jose] Mourinho would have accepted. The fact that he has opted to step aside means that he has another aim. But I am older than Mourinho. It would be a beautiful challenge. I am the right age. It is a battle.”

Fabio Capello, says Glenn Hoddle

“If the FA wants a foreign coach then it needs to be someone who has done well at the highest level. The man who fits that description is Capello. He’s my No 1 choice for the job. I would allow Capello to bring in one of his assistants. But I would have an English guy operating alongside him, too, who would be groomed to eventually take over…Guys like Stuart Pearce, Alan Shearer and Steve Coppell are possibilities.”

Jose Mourinho, says Otto Rehhagel

“You should give the job to Mourinho. He has the character and the fighting spirit to get the best out of a team. But if he does not want it, they can come and ask me.”

Jurgen Klinsmann, says Franz Beckenbauer

“Who can carry the boys with the three lions on their shirt out of their coma? One name comes to mind immediately: Jurgen Klinsmann. For him, the England job would be ideal, and also for England. Jurgen has very clear ideas and can enforce them. He knows what he wants, speaks very good English and would revel in the England job. He’d have three years to form a new team before the World Cup, and he wouldn’t have to worry about old baggage. Jurgen would be a new beginning for England; he is looking for a role in a country with a great tradition and appetite for football.”

An Englishman, says Arsene Wenger

“It has to be an Englishman because it is English football. You know what makes me sad? I am more nationalistic than you [journalists] because you want to go for Mourinho, for Capello – I am the only one who goes for an Englishman.”

Martin O’Neill, says Bobby Robson

“Of the ‘British’ managers, Martin O’Neill stands out. He’s bright, charismatic, experienced and a proven winner. Crucially, he also has the ability to change games. He did it many times for Celtic, and now at Aston Villa. He always seems to know which spark plug needs changing.”

Readers Comments

“God sent Brian Barwick a clue as to who the next England manager should be. Surname seven letters C-p--l-. Achieved great things with a club beginning Re in 2006-07. He still screwed it up.”
Posted by “badgerboy”,
December 15

“I am absolutely against any nationality restrictions for players to join clubs, but I wouldn’t mind one for national team managers. If the whole point of the international game is seeing which country does better, let’s go the whole way. Everyone directly connected to the actual football should be from the same country.”
Posted by “Rogorn”, December 17

“Capello could end up being the best thing that could happen to some of the England players, what with his proven track record and his strong disciplinary stance. After all, foreign managers at an international level have had some (relative) success: Australia qualified for their first World Cup for many years with a Dutchman; Russia, with a Dutchman, beat England, under an Englishman, to the Euros in the summer; Portugal reached the World Cup semis and the Euro 2004 Final with a Brazilian in charge; and Greece won the Euros in Portugal under the guidance of a German.”
Posted by “brod014”, December 28

“International football is supposed to be a contest between the footballing cultures of nations. The coaching staff should be part of that along with the players. If England do win the World Cup under Capello, would it really be
an English victory?

“Of course, FIFA are highly unlikely to introduce a rule that national coaches must be from the country in question. This is due to the (reasonable up to a point) desire for foreign coaches to go to ‘developing’ parts of the world to ‘raise standards’.

“I would suggest coaches be subject to residency limits similar to those affecting players. If coaches had to have lived in a country for, say, three years, or to have won a club trophy in that country, they would have demonstrated an affinity for the country and could represent them internationally.”
Posted by “Andy Neill”, January 9

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