The Sporting Hack

Fabio Capello’s resignation from the England head coach position was met with a raised eyebrow, a tilt of the head and a curl of the bottom lip before a slight nod (a bit like Harry Redknapp pictured above) – the right decision? Definitely maybe. But what’s done is done and the England national side is once again at a crossroads. The (sometimes) ponderous Italian, Capello who had a healthy habit of winning, also had a tendency to ‘put his foot in it’ and the media could not wait for their mock-up of pizza eating clown to make another error. The latest ‘gaffe’ centred around an interview on Italian television station where ‘The Don’ expressed his backing of now former captain John Terry – stripped of the armband for his major role in a much protracted race row of course. It wasn’t naive of the 65-year old manager to think no one might actually translate this interview from his mother tongue, it was stupidity. Speaking of mother tongue, Capello arguably did not endear himself to ...

England 1-0 Sweden England wrapped up a pleasing 2011 in satisfactory fashion by beating Sweden 1-0 just days after defeating world champions Spain. The sparsely populated crowd at Wembley witnessed Gareth Barry’s 23 rd minute header brush Daniel Majstorovic to record England’s 2000 th international goal. In truth there was little else to celebrate as Fabio Capello reshuffled his pack dramatically from Saturday’s win to see his side get the better of the Swedes for the first time in over 40 years. Kyle Walker’s full international debut – alongside returning skipper John Terry - was one to savour for the Spurs right back (above) who has as good a chance as anyone of cementing his place in that position in time for next summer. Walker’s link up play with Theo Walcott showed signs of promise and looked far more inventive and fruitful than messrs Baines and Downing’s efforts on the opposite side. The Merseyside based players seem to lack an extra gear with which to step up to...