Capello lacking class

Capello created 'ludicrous situation' over England captaincy

Last updated: 20th March 2011  

They're now claiming Rio didn't turn up. Well there was no proper arrangement. There was: 'We'll see you at the game'. It was amateur.

Matt Lawton
Quotes of the week

Matt Lawton says Fabio Capello has lost a lot of respect after taking the England captaincy from Rio Ferdinand.

The England boss has reinstated John Terry as the permanent skipper of the national team 12 months after taking the armband from him, insisting that "one year's punishment is enough" for his off-the field problems.

Capello has admitted did not communicate the news personally to Ferdinand, with the Italian claiming the Manchester United defender "preferred not to meet me" at Old Trafford earlier in the week.

However, Lawton of the Daily Mail says the England boss and his assistant, Franco Baldini, failed to make a formal arrangement and that Ferdinand was right to avoid meeting them in public.

And he accused Capello of lacking class in his treatment of the outgoing skipper.

He told the Sunday Supplement: "The biggest problem has been that Capello is saying one thing to the media and his conduit, his liaison with the players Franco Baldini, has been saying something else.

"I think he's made a couple of phone calls to Rio Ferdinand, on Sunday and possibly on Monday saying: 'Whatever you're hearing and reading, there's been a misunderstanding. The stories aren't correct. This is a temporary measure. You will still be captain when you're fit.'

"Then there's this ludicrous situation on Tuesday night at Old Trafford where there was supposed to be a meeting. Capello told the boys at the Chief Sports Writers lunch on Monday that he would see Ferdinand at the game.

"What staggers me, and where I think he has lost so much respect, is that there was no formal arrangement made. I think Baldini said to Ferdinand: 'We'll see you at the match.'

"If you're going to do that properly, with a bit of class and showing a bit of respect to Rio Ferdinand, you actually make an arrangement. You ring the football club and ask Manchester United to set a room aside so they can have a private conversation with Rio. Or you ring Rio and ask to come early to his house or meet in a restaurant or whatever.

"You don't do it in a directors' box where the world's cameras are going to be watching. You don't do it in the directors' lounge where there are going to be lots of football club people around.

"It was ludicrous and lo and behold, Rio thought: 'I'm not walking into that media spotlight.' My understanding is he went and sat in Rooney's private box and watched the game there instead.

"They're now claiming Rio didn't turn up. Well there was no proper arrangement. There was: 'We'll see you at the game'. It was amateur."

Explanations

Lawton said Capello should also have offered explanations to vice captain Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, who started England's last game against Denmark with the armband.

And he said a lack of consistency in his approach has meant the saga has been unfair on the senior players.

He added: "It seems to me there's almost been an element of making it up as he goes along.

"If it's what he wanted to do from the start, then he should stick to it and everybody should be consistent and do it properly.

"I would actually argue that they should have spoken to all four players affected, which is John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.

"Those are the four senior players in the squad and you speak to all of them and say: 'This is what we're going to do.'

"Do it properly."

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Comments (6)

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Andrew henry Okiror says...

Terry might be a good captain ; but not for a country like England who deserve respect In and Off the pitch....... As for Capello, just as Matt Lawton said, he did not look at the effects before doing what he did. But anyway, he made such mistakes against David BecKham in Madrid and England. I guy of no class indeed..................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted 14:59 21st March 2011

Sean Martin says...

I think this is dead on. Capello's been a fool, what does Terry really bring to the captaincy? The players no longer respect him so his being in the role is detrimental and if anything shows a complete lack of judgement. He could effectively lose the dressing room over this Also "12 months is punishment enough" doesn't wash with me because Terry's never shown any clear repentance during those 12 months. From the initial injunction, his relcutance to do the right thing and resign the captaincy to even his antics during the world cup stirring trouble he's never shown one ounce of regret or responsibility. Not exactly captain material

Posted 17:45 20th March 2011

Giulio Picco says...

Get over it, Terry is the best capatain around and deserves more,

Posted 17:04 20th March 2011

Godson Peters says...

It is a pity that when the captaincy was taken from Terry, there was no mourning. People condemned him with their holier than thou attitude as if they never made a mistake in life. Now Capello wants to make amend and replace a captain that over the past 12 month hadly played consistently for his club how much more the country, and he is amateurist. My greatest respect go to Capello who can admit his mistakes. Football is played on the field and not on the pages of newspapers and rehabilitation saloon.

Posted 12:58 20th March 2011

Ell Cee says...

The FA should do all they can to get Harry Redknapp as the next England manager. These foreign managers who manage the national team are an embarrassment. Capello is an idiot. Number one he should not have stripped Terry of the captaincy...and number two, if you do then don't re-instate him. Number three, don't handle it the way he has done, this isn't a school football team, its the England national team. The FA bang on about respect and then the manager goes and handles this situation with none at all, yet they want to ban Fergie for 5 games.

Posted 11:38 20th March 2011

Leslie Ross says...

rio was correct in not meeting capello

Posted 11:23 20th March 2011
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