Capello’s presence, much like that of Sven Goran Eriksson, should ensure England reach Poland and Ukraine. Beyond that, the policy expires. Beyond that requires more than money.

Nobody needs £6m to make Spain a World Cup-winning side. English football pays over the odds because it knows the manager is working with a poor hand and because our game is too influenced by club football into believing wild investment solves all problems.

You cannot buy players at international level, so the FA do the next best thing and buy a fancy boss instead. Yet, that policy will only go so far. Capello breezed into the World Cup in 2010, where England’s limitations were exposed, and so it will be in 2012 unless he finds a way of surmounting systematic flaws.

On Saturday against Switzerland, shorn of Wayne Rooney, Steven  Gerrard, first-choice spearhead Andy Carroll, and with Ashley Cole limping out of the game after 30 minutes, England struggled.

Scott Parker last played 90 minutes on April 2 and it showed. Jack Wilshere was deemed too tired to play in the European Under 21 Championship, so why should he have the engine for this game?

Fatigued? Fabio Capello suggested the England players were feeling the effects of a long domestic season

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