Hitting out: Fabio Capello told Italian TV that he didn't agree with the FA's decision to take the captaincy away from Terry

Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate were not selected for England pending court appearances, Steven Gerrard was. John Terry was, but then lost the captaincy. Maybe the FA will lose their manager, too, if the FA board intend flexing their muscles on other selection issues between now and July.

The problem the FA have over Capello is one of pretence. The board would like to give the impression that their first duty is to uphold standards in the English game when in truth all they care about is winning games.

That is why England have an Italian manager, paid £6million a year. The FA did not care if Capello knew English football or had a feel for what is important in our game. It did not care if he understood the English sporting culture, or its ethical duty.

If the FA prioritised any of this they would have appointed a manager steeped in English football; an Englishman.

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