Fabio Capello is only the sixth manager to mastermind an England World Cup campaign. He has won domestic titles with every one of his four clubs, gaining a reputation as a first rate tactician with a firmly no-nonsense approach. And he will certainly have to rely on these years of experience as he plots the Three Lions’ route to the later stages of World Cup in South Africa.
He began his managerial career at AC Milan in the early nineties where he led a squad crammed with talent to the Scudetto four times in five seasons. Since then he has enjoyed success with Real Madrid, Roma and Juventus, collecting an incredible nine league titles in 15 years.
And Capello’s impact on the England team after taking over from Steve McLaren was immediate. 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. The team won all but one of their ten matches, scoring 34 goals.
A strict disciplinarian and astute tactician, who is highly respected by his players, there are obvious parallels between Fabio Capello and England’s most successful manager, Alf Ramsey. Like England’s current boss, Ramsey thought the team was more important than the individual and refused to brook the notion of some players enjoying a special status. On one occasion, when some of England’s biggest names failed to return before a 10.30 curfew, he did not hesitate to take action, the players returning to their hotel rooms to find their passports waiting for them on their beds.
Like Ramsey, Bobby Robson made his name at Ipswich. However, Bobby Robson was probably better known for his man management skills than 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. Robson led England to two World Cup Finals, and at Italia ’90 helped the Three Lions to one of their most successful tournaments since the triumph of 1966.
With the experience of Steven Gerrard on the pitch and Capello off it, the England side look well-placed to emulate the success of Robson and Ramseu in South Africa.
