Capello’s hard-won reputation on the line

EVERYTHING Fabio Capello has done in 16 years as a coach has turned to silver, bringing him five Serie A titles, two La Liga titles and a Champions League.

But his managerial methods will face their biggest test in Port Elizabeth today as he aims to take England into the last 16 of the World Cup against a backdrop of player unrest and almost unbearable pressure.

If Capello thought managing England in a World Cup finals was going to be easy after guiding them to nine victories out of 10 matches in the qualifying campaign, he has suddenly hit the same brick wall that flattened so many of his unsuspecting predecessors.