On Feb. 3, the English FA took a huge step in their fight against racism and stripped England captain John Terry (Terry has been accused of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand) of his captaincy. Very soon after, Capello came out and publicly stated his disapproval of the FA’s decision. This was a huge mistake; matters such as these should be discussed privately. This whole saga took a drastic turn when the England manager promptly resigned out of anger and frustration at the FA’s decision to take the England captaincy away from Terry. Capello’s proud nature could not allow for him to stay on the job after his choice of captain, John Terry, had the captain’s armband taken away by the FA for the second time under him.
Capello’s decision to leave the England post is certainly a blessing in disguise. Capello has never looked comfortable as England’s manager. He was the highest paid international manager in soccer with a 6 million pound yearly salary (approx. $9.5 million). In fact, he shouldn’t have had the chance to resign, as he should have been promptly fired after England’s 2010 World Cup debacle which saw the Three Lions fail to beat Algeria, and lose to Germany 4-1. His managerial decisions during the World Cup were atrocious yet he somehow kept his job after the competition. His insistence on playing Wayne Rooney in every game of the tournament (when the Manchester United forward was clearly not in form), and his refusal to change his stoic, outdated 4-4-2 formation (which clearly did not work in any game) will go down as some of the worst decisions made in the history of the World Cup.
Italian newspaper La Repubblica wrote an article on Capello following his resignation. In it, they spoke of Capello: “The English could not stand him any longer and he could not stand the English any more. A politically correct excuse was required to terminate a marriage which has never been consummated, and the Terry case, with its racist undertone, was perfect.”
His character has also come into question when, in an interview, he praised General Franco, a Spanish dictator and general who oversaw the murder of thousands of innocent Spanish civilians. The fact that he thinks a player who has been charged with racist abuse deserves to captain a country in a major tournament brings up question about his morals and values. Capello can also barely speak English.
With only a few months left to the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine, Capello deserted his team at the first opportunity. The fact of the matter is that Capello was never suited for the England position and his resignation should be celebrated among England fans across the world. In England’s upcoming friendly match with the Netherlands, Stuart Pearce will take charge of the Three Lions. Although he may not be the most experienced manager, England fans will surely appreciate his passion and hard-work ethic. The fact that he is English will certainly help.
