Why it might be time to say hello to Capello as England manager

There are still some first-class seats left on the 13.55pm British Airways flight out of Milan on Monday afternoon (BA0577, Mr Barwick) and Fabio Capello should be on it.

He has managed the biggest egos — yes, bigger even than the players Roy Keane referred to in the England dressing room on Thursday — and still achieved the best results.

Capello may not be bosom buddies with Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, Vincenzo Montella, Raul, Robinho and Ruud van Nistelrooy, but they can all point to their heaving trophy cabinets.

Look where the last England coach ended up when he tried the old pal's act with the players. Still raining in Barbados is it, Steve?

The Italian is a football man through and through. He is not the type to sit in his office at Soho Square shuffling scouting reports, analysing ProZone statistics and casting half an eye up the secretary's skirt.

Who says? His right-hand man Franco Baldini, that's who. 'I have never understood why the England manager only watches matches in England,' said Baldini yesterday.

'He must see those players all the time — why don't they travel to Europe to watch the best players playing for the best teams?

'It would help them build up a profile of the way teams are playing in Europe. International football is an extension of club football. It is very introspective.'

Genius — but naturally it is certainly something that never occurred to McClaren during his 18 months in charge of the national team.

At a stroke, Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp can rattle off the Croatia team from one to 11 and give his insight into almost every one of them.

'I know seven of Croatia's players in intimate detail because I have been to watch every one of them at some point,' he revealed yesterday.

Impressive stuff, especially when you take into consideration McClaren's failure to 'name a decent Austrian' before England's friendly in Vienna and only muster two after the match. No wonder England are in trouble.

But Capello is a student of the game and it has been a long time since anyone could say that about an England manager.

He is ruthless, as David Beckham found out when he was made to train alone at Real Madrid before he was handed a successful reprieve last season, and Antonio Cassano discovered when he was suspended by the Spanish club for questioning Capello's management.

Baldini added: 'Sure, Capello is a strong manager. He is a very serious man and he doesn't accept compromises, but he knows the job better than most.

'I know about the big personalities in the England team, but that is nothing new to Capello — he has worked with those types of characters all his life.

'When he was coach of Roma, he handled stars such as Totti, Batistuta, Montella, Aldair, Cafu and Montella. At Juve, Ibrahimovic, Del Piero, Cannavaro and Vieira. At Milan it was Baresi, Gullit, Van Basten and Rijkaard.

'Then at Real Madrid it was Cannavaro, Beckham, Van Nistelrooy, Robinho, Raul and Roberto Carlos.

'If they cross the line there is a problem, but he respects people who work with him.'

He rules with a rod of iron, but he made it clear yesterday that applying for the job was out of the question. With a c.v. like that, he shouldn't have to