Capello is the new Gordon Brown and England will suffer because of his ego, arrogance and vanity

By Michael Calvin

Published 23:03 04/09/10

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Tony Blair was plugging his book, dismembering Gordon Brown. He could have been describing Fabio Capello.

“Political calculation, yes,” he said. “Political feelings, no. ­Analytical ­intelligence, absolutely. Emotional intelligence, zero.”

The similarities between Labour’s last Prime Minister and England’s ­imported football manager are striking.

Each appears cold, disdainful, defensive. There is a touch of arrogance, a hint of ­vanity, when they feel vindicated.

There’s a fault line in their personality which generates grudging respect ­rather than instinctive admiration.

Capello can set a team up technically against mediocre ­opposition. Bulgaria were so limited we wondered whether non-League day had come early.

His response to a comfortable win of questionable relevance provided an unintentional insight into his inability to produce a tournament team.

Like all winners, Capello had the privilege of writing his own history.

He was haughty, advising critics to “Look into the mirror each morning” before ­making judgments.

His attempt at empathy, recalling his defiance when his playing career was threatened by injury at the age of 20, sounded hollow.

He’d clearly listened to advisers, and insisted on a line being drawn under the World Cup. “The past is past,” he repeated, ad nauseam.

The more reasonable the question, the greater the impatience.

“I told you before. The period is different. We are fresh now. Bing, bing, bing. We were tired. It’s impossible.”

It was self-defeating, ­revealing.

Despite their inanities and their injunctions, international footballers are little different to the rest of us.

They occasionally need the release of going home in the evening, having a good moan about the boss.

It is easy to see why Capello is an acquired taste. Best in short bursts, rather than the six-week custodial sentence of the World Cup finals. In a game which pivots on ­professional ­respect, he seeks credit, on his terms. He’s irritating, rather than intimidating.

He couldn’t avoid praising Joe Hart, but refused to link his excellence with his unwarranted role as a training ground goalkeeper in South Africa.

Capello spoke as if he had revived the career of Wayne Rooney, single handedly.

It remains to be seen whether he bites the bullet, and refuses to reinstate Frank Lampard in a midfield that had greater fluidity and purpose.

Defeat in Basel on Tuesday – and it does not take much to envisage a narrow Swiss win – would leave us back at square one.

It could be worse. We could be French. Their new era was launched by a home defeat by Belarus.

Their disaster movies are directed by Quentin Tarantino. Entrails stain the carpet, brains are splattered across the curtains.

Our setbacks have a touch of Ealing Comedy about them. Everyone talks a little too loudly, in silly voices.

The worry is that England will suffer because of Capello’s ego, and his pragmatism. He’s not interested in building towards Brazil, 2014.

He is being paid obscene amounts to produce results in a secondary competition, the European Championship.

England will top the weakest of qualifying groups, despite the glaring defensive weaknesses embodied by Glen Johnson.

They will be eliminated, in the finals, by the first opponents who combine pace, vision and intelligence.

Same as it ever was.

The eye was drawn at Wembley to a pitchside advertisement for the FA Coaching scheme.

“Don’t stand still, step up” it ordered.

Gordon Brown couldn’t. Fabio Capello won’t.

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Using a man named Psycho as a punch bag is not advisable.

Yet Stuart Pearce accepts belittlement by Fabio Capello as part of the job.

If we are serious about developing a home grown England manager, he deserves greater respect.

He made a big call in the Under 21 win in Portugal, leaving out Jack Wilshere because of his extra-curricular activities.

Pearce is popular at club level, a familiar sight on training grounds.

He’s an unfinished article, worth cherishing.

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So England were “dynamic”, “competitive” and “energetic” at the World Cup.

Wayne Rooney was “hard working” and had “good technique”.

Unkind souls might scoff at such nonsense. I will happily bow to the superior knowledge of FIFA’s technical committee.

Just as long as I get a little of what they’ve been on.

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