English fans know FA

It wasn’t long before the English faithful turned against their star manager. It was quite obviously his fault that England had been humiliated at the World Cup. He was too strict (even though fans and journalists alike had applauded the new strict regime). His tactics were stilted and jaded (even though everybody had hailed his refreshingly flexible Italian style). He has no proven international experience (even though no England manager has ever had any international managerial experience prior to being the England boss; in fact the previous managers range from men with average managerial experience through those with a frankly skeletal CV to men who have never even managed before).

Let us look at the facts. Capello is the most successful manager that the FA has ever taken on. He has won nine league titles (winning at least one with every club he has managed, and all of them in top leagues), four domestic cups and two European titles, including the Champions’ League. Fifteen titles in sixteen years of club management.

Of nineteen World Cup tournaments, England did not enter three of them and failed to qualify for three others, the most recent being in 1994. Of the thirteen England managed to find their way into, five ended in the first or second rounds. That leaves six quarter-finals, one semi-final and the single most disputed World Cup victory in history.

In the thirteen European Championship tournaments – a priori an easier deal than a World Cup – England did not enter once and failed to qualify five times, the most recent occasion being in 2008. Of the seven times England have participated five have ended in the first round. They have never played a final, let alone won one.

Let us put this into context: Brazil and Germany have appeared in 7 WC finals, winning 5 and 3 times respectively. Germany also have 3 European Championship titles from 6 finals. Argentina have appeared in 4 finals, winning twice, and Italy have appeared in 6 finals, winning 4 times. Italy also have 1 European Championship title from 2 final appearances.

England are not a great football team. They are second-rate; they are also-rans. They are a quarter-finals team at best, and that only when the rest stop playing.

And the FA – an organisation prone to attacks of stupidity that FIFA would envy – is starting to back Capello and ignore the fans’ whinging. If the FA can see the truth, what problem does the rest of the country have?

(For the record – Brazil, Uruguay, Germany (just) will all win and Spain will cheat their way through yet another round.)