The King is Leon

Fabio Capello chose to spend his Saturday evening confirming most of what we already know. The incomprehensible mumbling about Real Madrid’s lack of creativity in the lead up to El Clasico was a new low point for the England coach. Not because his communication skills were laid bare… the nation has long suspected as much… instead it was his very presence at a stadium hosting a whole host of international stars but none of whom were of relevance to an England manager.

Lets be straight about this - Fabio was about to learn little from the tactics. True enough he played a system in recent friendlies that leant itself to Barcelona’s loose translation of a 4-3-3. But then so do West Ham.


Capello was there no more on a fact finding trip than those who tune in with a beer and a pizza to see the biggest game in world football.

As it is El Clasico has become more than just a passing interest to the average football fan. The terrible standard of the Premier League and the humiliating World Cup experience has left most wondering what life would be like outside the humdrum world of Tony Pulis et al. Barcelona are as relevant to a Norwich fan as Chelsea are to … well … a lot of kids running around in Chelsea shirts.

Capello has a duty to change this. It is not good enough for the England coach to meander around Europe the way his midfield did in South Africa wishing it was all different.

Instead, Capello should be driven to distraction trying to improve the embarrassing line of footballing history he put his name to in the past 12 months. As he drools about Andreas Iniesta he should begin to understand why there is no Iniesta in the England squad. A player that can pass and move with a low centre of gravity. Who will play for a full 90 minutes without ego. Who can link play and provide something different in tight games. Oh … and one who isn’t already tracked on a Champions League night every other week by the rest of Europe.

Fabio Capello should be monitoring the performances of Leon Osman. A hidden gem at Everton Football Club who has long been under-valued by English football. A player shunned because of a lack of pace and strong physique who has risen to a level in the past few months of football that would be fitting of his team-mate Mikel Arteta at his best.

Is it really so hard for Capello to take in a game between Blackburn and Everton - to see Leon Osman put on a performance that Andreas Iniesta would be proud rather than being there in person to confirm that Iniesta is a great player. No doubt it would be easier for Capello if Osman played for Barcelona … it would easier for Osman to play his type of football - that’s for sure!

You often only get out of the game what you put in. A shame then that when a player hindered by injuries in his early career can fall off the radar and never come back into sight for the narrow-minded Italian

If Capello really wanted to change the way the game is viewed in this country he would be seeking a way to play in the style he pretends to have fallen in love with.

If you admire Barcelona - pick players who play in their mould. Do not put out a system that mirrors them and fill it with Jay Bothroyd just to prove how wacky you can be. For the most part, English teams in the Champions League succeed because of the talented pool of foreign players around them. The playmakers are rarely English. Wayne Rooney shines like a beacon as an exception to this rule. Maybe Jack Wilshire can be another. They amount to the princely sum of two players. Perhaps the other nine are in places that are a little harder to reach in your minds eye.. Or up a busy M6.