No more excuses Capello
Dominic Curtis
Posted on: 07 June 2011 - 12:28
Football
It is time for Fabio Capello to stop making excuses and get England on the right track 12 months ahead of Euro 2012.
Following Saturdays 2-2 draw with Switzerland at Wembley, the Italian blamed the below par performance on tiredness, “It is not just my idea that they are really tired”, said the former AC Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid coach, whose side top their qualifying group on goal difference ahead of Montenegro.
England’s ineptitude to beat Switzerland means that the Three Lions have not won in four consecutive home games, the last time that happened was 30 years ago.
“We must try to find a solution, and I hope we do, but do you the medicine? It is not the quality. We have the quality. The problem is the energy, not other things.
John Terry did not agree with his manager’s claim that the players were fatigued. The captain said that one more game at the end of the season made no difference.
Two Tranquillo Barnetta free-kicks embarrassed England. The first, a floated cross into the six yard box which Rio Ferdinand failed to deal with, drifted past everyone and floated in to the far corner of the net.
The second crashed inside Joe Hart’s near post after James Milner inexplicably moved out of the defensive wall.
Where were the excuses 10 or 15 years ago when England played? There was no talk then of players being too tired. This is something which crept in during Sven Göran Eriksson’s spell in charge of England. If England’s failures are going to be blamed on fatigue then everyone might as well pack up and go home.
Yes the season is long but Spain also have a 38 game season league and you don’t excuses being made by the reigning World and European Champions.
England under-21 manager Stuart Pearce, also one of Capello’s assistants, does not believe fatigue is a factor in England’s poor performances.
“If you’re mentally fresh, you’ll convince your body to do anything,” said Pearce.
I come from the school of Brian Clough –‘We’re fresher than they are’-and that was the mantra we always worked to.”
The former England international added that: “Tiredness will never be an excuse I’ll use as a manager.”