IT WASN'T FABULOUS

SAM SHEPPEY RECALLS THE REIGN OF ENGLAND'S LAST FOREIGN MANAGER...

- SAM SHEPPEY

WITH Thomas Tuchel becoming just the third overseas manager of England, plenty of discourse has occurred regarding whether he is the right man to lead the Three Lions forward.

Tuchel has managed Bayern Munich, Chelsea, PSG and Borussia Dortmund.

The German coach knows how to get the best from top talents, reaching the European summit in 2021 by guiding Chelsea to the Champions League trophy.

With top-level pedigree, success in knockout competitions and experience with star talents, it sounds like things can't go wrong, right? However, the last foreign England manager came into the job with similar credentials but failed to hit the ground ru

nning on the big stage. Here is the story of Fabio Capello's England...

THE APPOINTMENT

After much speculation, Capello became manager of England in December 2007, signing a four-anda-half-year deal in what he described as his last job in football.

An obvious obstacle facing the Italian was his inability to speak in English. However, Capello once stated he needed only 100 words to communicate with his players, so once he found his 100, the prospect of the former Real Madrid and AC Milan manager taking the reins with England seemed exciting.

Capello's first match was at Wembley in February 2008, a 2-1 victory against Switzerland. Jermaine Jenas and Shaun Wright-Phillips scored the goals, with players such as David Beckham, Sol Campbell and Paul Robinson left out.

Beckham's omission was particularly eye-catching, seeing as he was part of Capello's La Liga-winning side at Real Madrid.

Beckham had recently moved to LA Galaxy, and the pair didn't have the best working relationship in Madrid. Capello banished Beckham from the first-team squad in early 2007, after his LA Galaxy move became public.

TO England lost the next game 1-0 against France, with Franck Ribery's penalty proving decisive.