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Optimism growing for Capello
Optimism growing for Capello
Marc Fox
Fabio Capello's comments after England's second 1-0 win within four days offer a strong indication that his rebuilding exercise since the humiliation at the hands of Germany during the 2010 World Cup has taken a significant step forwards.
The manner in which a boisterous and energetic German midfield ran circles around their English counterparts that Saturday has been stuck in the memory for the entire national team set-up ever since despite a comfortable Euro 2012 qualification.
But a year and a half later, Capello's brave team selections of Manchester United's Phil Jones and Jack Rodwell of Everton in the central core of his Euro 2012 hopefuls combined with his body language during the successive victories against Spain and Sweden and his post-match comments afterwards hint that the Italian might just be laying to rest of ghosts of Bloemfontein).
"I looked for something new and found it," beamed Capello. "I've found it in Rodwell, (Tottenham defender Kyle) Walker and Jones."
"They are really good technically, really good physically and all three are fast. This is important in modern football."
The fact that these victories were earned without the services of Jack Wilshire, who rose to prominence for club and country a year ago to offer the first glimpses of a new dawn, and Liverpool's captain Steven Gerrard made them sweeter for Capello that much is certain.
Notwithstanding injury come June, Wilshire and Gerrard remain two certainties for Capello's Euro 2012 squad for Ukraine and Poland - and even certainties for places in the starting XI in the eyes of some.
Manchester United's Ashley Young, another who missed these latest internationals because of injury, has also played his way into Capello's starting sides of late - again owing to his speed, directness and energy.
The impressive win over the typically stubborn Swedes was also achieved without Scott Parker, the late flowering Tottenham midfielder who missed the cut for the World Cup squad in 2010 but who seems indispensible now as his man-of-the-match display again Spain proved to his various doubters.
Jones understandably looked a little uncertain at times against Spain's midfield maestros on Saturday - remember he made his international debut at right back only last month and is considered to be a future England centre half.
But his work rate earned him another start last night, and he grabbed the opportunity to play in a deeper midfield role gratefully, spreading the play carefully when necessary and even forging forward in the first-half and almost adding England's second.
"It was important to see Jones play in the position where I usually play Scott Parker, in front of the back four," said Capello afterwards, giving the strongest indication yet that Jones' flexibility has him earmarked for a spot on the plane to Poland.
Rodwell also excelled and too should have scored in a dominant first-half, his close range header glancing off the post.
Capello's memory of the contributions of Jones and Rowell brought a rare smile to his lips in his post-match press conference.
He knows the brand of fluidity and confidence they offered last night contrasted strongly with England's World Cup exploits - and that's enough for now.
© Marc Fox & Soccerphile.com
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