Although other than the compulsory smug for a ManUtd fan, I tend not to look at other clubs unless it is to admire their managers and consistency of players. I am for example a big fan of Steve Bruce and Roberto Martinez and even think that although lately more embarrassing for his own legacy than anything else, Sparky could become a good manager.
Today though I have to make an exception. Make and exception and have a look at the England Manager, Fabio Capello. First of all though I must say that I am not English but have spent the last five years of my life in England until I recently moved to a sunny Southern-European isle. Of course I did support the English national eleven during my time there and as every fan of a nice game my heart always suffered watching this thing dished to us fans, this almost catanaccio alike game brought to us by Capello. But while I may at times admire the Italian style of the game, mainly for the strategical zonal game which is played in the Serie A, as a true ManUtd fan I would rather lose 5-4 than go home with 0-0. I will take a 0-1 win though, especially if fought out in true ManUtd style and we have more than 20 shots on goal as usually, playing defences of 6-9 players is not that easy. But I digress.
Whatever his faults, the fiercely patriotic Beckham deserved better than to find out second hand that his international career was over – Paul Fletcher for BBC
While the Paul Scholes case before the World Cup embarrassing was, giving the Ginger Prince less than 48 hours to make a decision whether to come out of international retirement and save Capello’s midfield, the Wes Brown case was not less of a shame to England but the way Capello dropped David Beckham was one of the most disrespectful actions I have seen in years.
Many words have already been written over how the England Manager dropped the ManUTd Legend and used his assistant, General Manager Fabio Baldini, to give Becks a heads up about his international career end. In all honesty, while noble, I do not believe that the offer to allow Becks one more game at Wembley, a game to say farewell to the supporters was an honest and meant offer. That was just to make sure the pressure on himself, after the Capello Index, the Brown/Robinson debacle, would not rise even more because in all honesty… he’s a shame for the once proud football nation England.
If only England would play well but saying that the performance against Hungary was anything to write home about would be nothing else than lying. England sucked and a future with Capello certainly does not look like a future with international silverware, full stop.