MATT LAWTON'S EURO BLOG: From Jose's departure via culture vulture Capello's arrival to Euro 2008, it's been a crazy year on Planet Football

Which was a pity when Turkey are staying here in Vienna and Kazim Kazim (aka Colin Kazim-Richards) would have been interesting to talk to.

Colin Kazim-Richards: it would have been good to talk with Turkey's English-born midfielder

But over dinner last night with a few colleagues we did reflect on what a crazy season it has been. Possibly the busiest ever.

From the moment phones started to ring late one night at the Emirates Stadium and we were informed that Jose Mourinho's tenure at Chelsea had come to a sudden and unexpected end, it has been relentless. One huge story after another.

After Mourinho and the subsequent appointment of Avram Grant came England's failure to qualify for this tournament and the dismissal of Steve McClaren, who finally realised last week that it would be prudent to accept the challenge at FC Twente in Holland.

Then it was the search for a new England manager. A story that rumbled on for some time and only ended shortly before Christmas with the unveiling of Fabio Capello.

After that, one of the best title races in years amid constant speculation about Grant's future. Chelsea insisted the Israeli's new four contract underlined their intention to keep him as manager but we never really believed them.

Avram Grant: Chelsea boss was always going to be toast

Poor old Avram was always going to be toast, even, I suspect, if he had won the championship or the Champions League final.

Three Champions League semi-finalists for the second year in a row kept us busy, as did a first Champions League final between two English teams.  

Either side of Moscow came two relatively unusual trips. The friendly in Trinidad and a flying visit to Lesotho with Fabio Capello. On that trip we were accompanied by a chap from Observer Sport Monthly who was granted brilliant access to the Italian but produced 3,000 words of drivel.

Not only did he complain about how difficult it was to extract a decent line from the Italian - an admission, in itself, that he had failed - but then portrayed the daily writers as journalists who lacked the wit to realise how trivial the job can sometimes seem.

Man of depth: Fabio Capello with local children at the 'Kick For Life' football festival in Lesotho

I would urge him to reflect on the experience with a touch more introspection and ask himself if it had anything to do with a lack of imagination on his part. Given the riveting conversation he produced over dinner one night, I'd say it probably had more to do with him than Capello.

That same evening a colleague and I actually went and sat down at Capello's table and the man was fascinating. As much on subjects like art, the theatre, family and relationships as football.

Sadly it was just an off-the-record chat but in a 45-minute interview - something no English daily journalist has yet been granted - I'm sure he would have been terrific.

Did you know, for instance, that Franco Baldini runs his own theatre company and has actually been a massive influence on Capello when it comes to his passion for art?

Terim: another miracle?

It has been a busy season but it has also been one of the most enjoyable. Soured, obviously, by England's absence out here but exciting nevertheless.

There's been no need to try and oversell a story, even if one email I received this morning dared to do so. 'Does Turkey's miracle-worker coach Fatih Terim have two more games in his team to see the unlikeliest coronation of a European champion ever?' it declared.

The unlikeliest, that would be, since Greece.