Preview: Yours truly still recall with fondness how Fabio Capello landed the job he had always wanted. The Italian had declared before he was officially presented to the English media for the first time that the England job will be his last. 63 years ago today, in the shadows of a post-WW2 world...the man who had now at least won over a sceptical nation when it comes to how he had transformed their national football team, came in this world. In the unofficial football focus series's off-season special, yours truly decides to look back on how before she and her family flew off for holidays on December 2007, how Capello landed the England job. It was officially done few days before I went to China back then actually...
“I am very proud and honoured be the England manager, it is one of the biggest jobs in world football. For me, it’s a dream come true, I really will train the England national team. Like with all dreams, I hope I don’t have a bad awakening but that I wake up happy, having achieved something.”
And with that (where I got the quote), it is like a man who had finally marry the woman of his dreams after being rejected twice. Because of what Fabio Capello also said in the same article I found - “I’ve been close to this twice before, and this time it has happened. It’s an exciting adventure, there will be lots of hurdles to cross, but I’ve always liked to go against the grain.”
Back then when I tried to read as much as I can before Capello was officially unveiled to the media for the first time, I realised this must be love for the Italian. I remembered I once stumbled upon an article which appeared on the day Arsenal was playing Juventus on the second-leg of the Champions League quarter-finals back in April 2006. Who was Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's counterpart then? Yes, Fabio Capello himself. I went to hunt down the article again from The Independent especially for this entry and it always struck me time and again...what would had happened to the club I support in Manchester United had Sir Alex Ferguson really stood down after all when it looked like the club was not heading anywhere after the treble era from the 1998/1999 season? He did talked about the possibility of retirement before. But that was then. The club might had won the Champions League last year apart from the league title (and we retained it this season), but my mind was filled with what ifs had it was actually of all people, Capello being the manager at the club I support? From what I found from ahead of the meeting against Arsenal three years ago in the Champions League when Capello was still at Juventus - Earlier this year, Capello appeared to be aiming further north than Wembley, saying that it would be a privilege to "one day coach a great team like Manchester United".
I actually almost shook when I first read the comments. The thought of someone like his calibre being the manager of the club I support...gasp! People had always remembered his AC Milan side beating favourites Barcelona convincingly 4-0 in Athens in the 1994 Champions League final. I actually smiled when I read when that famous match happened. 18 May 1994. On a personal scale of things on what happened on that day...my sister had just came into this world, a day ago. On the eve of the match, on the day my sister was born, AC Milan were in all sorts of trouble even with the league title sealed. Personnel situation heading into a match up against the 'Dream Team' of Johan Cryuff's Barcelona (to throw in this interesting trivia, both Cryuff and Capello had met each other before...in the 1973 European Cup final when the former was part of the great Ajax side and the latter, part of the losing Juventus side then), and even Capello's job was actually on the line. This was after he took on the job in 1991 when Arrigo Sacchi left. When I watched the match highlights from YouTube on what happened in Athens 15 years ago, I just gasped. It made me realised why it has always been said that has to be ranked way up there when it comes to memorable finals in European football. Since then, Capello himself described the win over Barcelona as his 'masterpiece'. In very British terms, it was his most finest hour as a coach.
But coming back of me trying to imagine what would had happened if Fabio Capello actually went to Manchester United after all. Looking at his past achievements again, he would fit. But the language...that is if you get the idea. Considering how the English media can be like. But come to think of it now, I cannot really blame him for keep giving what I called loving glances to the motherland of football when apart from singling out the goal he scored against the English at the Wembley as a player in a friendly back in November 1973 as the highlight of his career, because the first two times he was being approached by the English FA...both came to nothing. The first approach came in 2000 (he was AS Roma coach then) and in the end, it was Sven-Goran Eriksson whom got it instead. Whatever happened when the Swede was in charge is a well-known fact. The second approach came a few years later but, it was also of the same result.
Even if the Italian was about to confront a footballing nation with its morale at its lowest ebb then (I was referring to the first time when he met the media), Fabio Capello had never once made no secret of the fact of wanting to work in the motherland of football. Back in his first season as Juventus coach in early 2005, when asked in an interview on what he felt was missing from his career, he revealed, “I’ve always had this thing about England. I don’t know why, but there’s a strong attraction. I may never get to fulfil it, but it’s an ambition of mine. There were times I came close, let’s say I hit the post. Other times, I had an empty net in front of me, but for whatever reason I chose to shoot wide. But one day . . .”
It is very romantic-like, especially if I re-read what the Italian had to say four years ago. Like a guy is having a crush on someone, but he had been indirectly rejected. Anyhow, that one day came on the day when England eventually famously never qualified for the Euro 2008 tournament after the loss to Croatia at the Wembley. 21 November 2007. Fabio Capello was co-commentating on Italy's final qualifier against the Faroe Islands (a meaningless one actually, considering Italy had already qualified for the tournament before that match) when news was coming in from London that England was two goals down. His fellow colleague noted that Steve McClaren would probably be sacked should England lose. Fabio Capello virtually announced his candidacy then and there, live on television. With these words - “Would I want the job? Absolutely yes. It would be a fascinating challenge.” Thus the beginning of the Italian and his England adventure. So far in his full season in charge, he had managed to win over the sceptics and...me.
To be honest, and I am not someone who openly expressed her feelings in the open...it was already in the aftermath of the friendly away in Germany last November which England won, I realised Fabio Capello had finally won over me. The fact that he can overcome those whole slew of injuries which hit his side before the match before eventually winning against not really a full strength German side finally convinced me. It was further enhanced when on the day England was due to play Ukraine at the Wembley for the World Cup qualifiers which also falls on April Fools' Day, I almost went alarmed when reading about the 'news' that he had resigned and Kevin Keegan is taking over. It was then I realised, without knowingly...that was a sign of how much the Italian had meant to me when it comes to me believing in my first footballing love all over again. His enthusiasm for the English game is so infectious, the aura he commands in view of his past achievements in his native Italy and Spain...I don't know how to put it. One can just simply feel it. And along the way somehow somewhat, the footballing love for the other national team I support in Germany is actually slowly fading away. Hang on, it is dead.
Now for the story proper and I will begin with 21 November 2007. Probably the worst day of my life being an England supporter. I was real angry at the England haters who were laughing at the absence of England at the upcoming Euro 2008 tournament. Not only angry, I was so hurt to the extent that I wanted to cry. Even when I tried to digest the news when watching what was reported on the television, it made me wanted to cry even more. It has gone to the extent that it was worse than telling me that I had failed Mathematics back in school. But somewhere in Italy, someone saw the events at the Wembley as his chance to make his lifelong ambition finally coming true and not letting it slip away like it had twice. Back in my own world, comes the whirlwind of speculation over Steve McClaren's future. It was not surprise when the eventual announcement came. McClaren was being given the sack. I remembered watching ESPN Sportscenter Asia like as if I am watching some presidential election or something when I watched the reports being unfolded. Soon what the FA said about searching for a new man in charge stood out in my head - nationality would not be an issue.
The case of going foreign was a real strong possibility all over again, after the days of when Sven-Goran Eriksson was in charge. Names started to fly around, English-born and foreign names. But one name just could not go away. And it was there since it was announced that Steve McClaren had been given his marching orders. Fabio Capello. I remembered at that time, the presenter on ESPN Sportscenter Asia even quoted what he said from the commentary booth in his native Italy. I actually thought in my head that such news do travel fast. I initially did not thought much, considering I was trying to recall when was the first time I first heard of the Italian. Of all moments, it all began in the midst of the infamous 'calciopoli' with me remembering with his time as Juventus coach when the whole thing exploded, with him not implicated but he still went back to Spain and back to Real Madrid anyway. Then I kept reading from Capello's fellow compatriots like Gianfranco Zola (now manager of West Ham) who had always believed from the start that the former Real Madrid coach (Capello) would take it. Around the same time, I read that the FA was canvassing for opinion and it asked people like Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Both men with what they had contributed to English football, can at least agree on one thing despite their famous rivalry...at least on who should be Steve McClaren's successor. Same like what Zola said.
But it was also around the same time, another surprise name emerged. Hang on a minute, former Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann? He might be well remembered in England during his two playing stints at Tottenham Hotspur and how he eventually charmed everyone despite his questionable goal-diving celebrations...he is a German after all. The thought of a German in the England job, absolute travesty from the English perspective. There is already quite a football rivalry between England and Germany and the last thing people need is a German landing the job. But then, Bayern Munich coach Franz Beckbenbauer was actually lobbying for him to be the new man in charge by talking up on his playing days in England. Even if I went a little dizzy of the thought of Klinsmann in charge given I was a fan of him since his time as Germany coach during the 2006 World Cup...I was being reminded of his experience.
A few weeks went by and, the apparent five-man shortlist was up. Yes, the two people I mentioned so far in the running for the England job were on the apparent short-list. Even a certain Jose Mourinho as well, and he really got the English media all in a tizzy. I was laughing in my head because I just cannot see him do it. Even names Premier League audiences were familar with were thrown in the mix as well - Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez. By then, it was getting closer to the China trip with my family. I began to wonder when will it be known. Before, during or after the China trip?
Things then began to move swiftly. It looked like the FA had found their man and the press were getting ready to know who could that be. I started to get a little excited, and anxious at the same time. Everyone has begun to whisper the same name over and over again. They are also convinced in Italy that the person had found is what has been speculating in England. Si, it is Fabio Capello. That day when it was announced by the FA was 14 December 2007, a Friday. Well, that was the beginning of me began really reading up on the Italian...with me throwing away whatever the English have always said about Italian football. Like this and re-reading this. Back in the days (eh, just two years ago!) when the UEFA website had its own weekly series of articles of football on the European continent, it was always one of my most favourite days of the week because it always widen my horizons on the topics and issues raised. But little did I knew what I once read would made me re-read it again. I am referring the third link in this paragraph. And one headline from Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport which till now I cannot get out of my head in reaction to Capello being the new England boss...they call him the 'King of England'. For long the English will always say Italian football is defensive, now they will have an Italian in charge of their national team. My sentiment then was like how the UEFA website wrote on the day Capello was confirmed to be the new man in charge - But if the Italian can't do it, who can? I wanted to stop crying and start believing again.
When I watched the press conference (how I recounted it the day after), like what I typed then: I want to in the future when I look back at my younger days, I want to say that I had witnessed something major and I was there when it happened. Three days after Fabio Capello met the media for the first time, I flew off to China with my family for a week. On the plane in mid-air, I was being 'reminded' of the appointment too. My word.
From the match which first launched his name into the world of football management (or coaching, if you like), to the various coaching stations and even along the way, like what was written on the day of Arsenal's Champions League semi-final second-leg back in April 2006 against Juventus - Beneath the nationalist sentiment (in reference to the goal scored at the Wembley as a player against the English) there lies another reason why Capello cherished leaving his mark at Wembley, something to do with his fascination for the way football is played in England. It is this deep regard for the English game which has recently prompted him to issue thinly veiled come-and-get-me pleas to the Football Association, despite having publicly committed himself to Juventus until 2009. Then came this date which changed everything - 21 November 2007. The worst day of my life as an England supporter? Fabio Capello can say that was the day when his lifelong ambition had been finally fulfiled. For an Italian who had never wanted to coach his native Italy and only dreams of England all these years...it was not a dream, it did became a reality. Heading into media work after being given the boot from Real Madrid just months beforehand, who would have thought that he would be managing the England national team one day? Only he himself knew, even if he was doubtful in the past that day may never come. It was back then when the appointment was confirmed and me starting to chronicle the events in my head which led to it, starting with the time when he got the boot from Real despite ending a four-year title drought...it was then I thought, nothing surprises me in football anymore.
Just the thought that the first match the Italian watched was between Aston Villa and Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup last year considering his loving glances once darted into the direction of the club I support in United somehow came one full circle before he started work proper at the FA headquarters of Soho Square. With him actually saying these words to Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton who was once part of Sir Alf Ramsey's side when England won the World Cup in 1966: "Charlton," he said, "it is my wish to take England to the World Cup final in South Africa." Those were said on the same match I was talking about in this paragraph. Apart from my bragging rights that the first match the England gaffer watched involved the club I support, the national team is well...on its way there. But no hype machine from me as yet, unless it is mathematically certain. After all, humility is the word.
Happy birthday. To the man who make me believe in the England national team all over again. I know I have said this many a times on my blog but, where would the England national team be without him so far? I do not even want to dare to think about it. Like what I typed recently, if anyone dares to take him away from his current post...I will cry.
