Flashpoint: Terry is to appear in court in July to answer a charge relating to the alleged racist abuse of Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League match

Now general manager of Roma in Serie A, and working for England only on a part-time basis around matches and tournaments, Baldini was the conduit between the manager and the FA in the first three years of Capello’s reign. His job was to solve administrative problems, leaving Capello to concentrate on football.

What the FA have on their hands now is a headstrong, opinionated manager without Baldini’s diplomatic counsel.

If the Terry crisis had erupted while Baldini was based in England, he would have explained to key members of the FA executive Capello’s feelings on the subject, his view of Terry as a natural leader and his belief that he would be compromised, having earlier told Terry there could be no change in his position until after the trial.

Equally, he would have relayed to Capello the FA’s awkward position, the depth of feeling around race issues in English football and any potential for distraction or threat to  dressing-room harmony.
Instead, Capello was presented with a decision as a fait accompli and reacted in anger.

Rules made on the hoof are rarely without complications.

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