English coach to follow Capello, FA says

LONDON (AFP) – Fabio Capello’s eventual successer as England manager looks set to be a home-born coach following comments on Sunday from a top Football Association (FA) official.

The Italian, who failed to spark an England side in the World Cup in South Africa this summer, will remain in charge until after the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine.

But the FA’s Club England managing director Adrian Bevington said that when he goes, the plan is to return the position to an Englishman.

“That is the view in the discussions I have been involved in,” Bevington told BBC Radio 5 Live Sportsweek.

“We enjoyed working with Sven-Goran Eriksson, and we have Fabio Capello in now.

“I think the English team should be managed by an English manager in the future.”

Capello found himself in the spotlight again this week when, shortly before England’s victory over Hungary in a Wembley friendly, he announced former captain David Beckham is no longer
under consideration to play for his country.

“A lot of people have a very different view of Fabio Capello to the one they had before the World Cup,” added Bevington.

“Our job is to support him as best we can. Maybe we can help him, and maybe now is the time to improve communications between manager and players.”

The FA have also confirmed England will play France in a friendly at Wembley on November 17, the game Capello earmarked as a farewell outing for Beckham – who immediately scotched the idea by making it clear he has no intention of announcing his retirement.

Capello has already presided over one meeting with the French, in Paris two years ago, when Franck Ribery’s penalty split the sides in the Italian’s second match in charge.

France also came out on top in the last meeting between the sides on English soil 11 years ago, when Nicolas Anelka scored twice.