How Capello got the England job

[GWistooshort]

An interesting read................

 

The Times

August 29, 2008

 

How Fabio Capello sealed deal for England job

Gabriele Marcotti

 

Sacked by Real Madrid in June 2007, just 11 days after leading the club to the title, Fabio Capello resolved to wait patiently for the chance to make his long-held dream of becoming England manager a reality. When Steve McClaren was sacked in November after England failed to qualify for Euro 2008, the position became vacant, but in early December it seemed as if Capello would be up against a formidable rival for the job - José Mourinho.

 

Capello chose to lie low. He had stated his interest and, for now, there was nothing left to do. He knew that Brian Barwick [the FA chief executive] would be canvassing opinion, taking in different viewpoints and, for now, merely listening. And so the entire Capello family, including sons Pierfilippo and Edoardo, went off to Istanbul for some sightseeing on the Bosphorus.

 

It was there that Pierfilippo received a call from Giovanni Branchini, one of Italy's most high-profile agents. He wasn't working for Capello in any official capacity, but he nevertheless was “in the loop”. “You're going to get a call from someone at the FA in the next half-hour,” Branchini told Pierfilippo. “Keep your phone on.”

 

Sure enough, less than 30 minutes later, Pierfilippo's phone rang and the words “private number” flashed on his mobile. It was Simon Johnson, the FA's director of corporate affairs. He advised Pierfilippo that half a dozen people claiming to represent Capello had been in contact with them. Not wanting to create confusion or be led up blind alleys, they were keen to “cut through the bull****” and speak directly to Capello's camp.

 

Thus, against the wintry backdrop of Istanbul's Hagia Sofia, first contact was made. Pierfilippo was told that, at this stage, there were no more than three or four names left in the running and that Capello was one of them. Was Capello interested? Pierfilippo said that “in principle” he was, but obviously would have to talk about contracts and other details.

 

The voice on the other phone seemed relieved. “OK, then. For the next ten to fifteen days you won't hear from us. Then, once we know what the situation is, we'll call you.”

 

And, just like that, the FA “went dark”. Upon reflection, Capello had no way of knowing whether the voice on the other end of the phone was genuine, beyond the fact that Branchini had told him someone would call. But, at the time, what mattered was that the wheels had started to turn.

 

Mourinho was waiting too. While he made no statements, members of his entourage worked the media, suggesting that the FA needed to “hurry up” because various clubs were on his case. Mourinho, as you do in these situations, was playing his hand, just as Capello, in a different way, was playing his. Capello's camp knew Mourinho was in the driving seat, but also trusted in the fact that the FA would let them make their case before making their decision.

 

Then, just after the FA received Mourinho's “Club England” dossier, Pierfilippo's phone rang again. It was the FA. If you want to come up to London, we'd love to have a chat.

 

Sure enough, Capello was still in the running. The reasons why became even more obvious on Monday afternoon. Mourinho issued a statement on [his agent Jorge] Mendes's website, ruling himself out once and for all. He said that he had had “useful discussions” with Barwick, Sir Trevor Brooking and others about the England job. But, “after deep and serious thinking”, he was placing himself out of the running. The decision not to proceed with Mourinho had, according to a source, been made the evening before.

 

Forty-eight hours elapsed between the moment the FA received Mourinho's “Club England” dossier (assuming the dossier was, in fact, delivered; FA sources would neither confirm nor deny this) and the decision not to proceed. What had prompted the climbdown? Different sources offer different explanations.

 

Some suggest Mourinho only wanted the job under very specific conditions - that he would have those “unprecedented powers” - and the FA simply could not meet his demands. Others maintain that the FA simply looked at the situation and decided to go in a different direction. Still others insist that Capello had never been the second choice, but rather Mourinho and Capello were No1 and No1A on the list. And that it was Capello's experience and enthusiasm for the job that tipped the balance in his favour.

 

Either way, with Mourinho having removed himself from the picture, it didn't take long for the press to shift their sights on to Capello. With rumours that a trip to London was imminent, photographers and spotters were dispatched to each of London's five airports. Any flight from Malpensa, Linate or Bergamo airports in Milan would be scrutinised.

 

Still wishing to elude the press, Capello designed his trip carefully. He would fly from Malpensa to Zurich and then, from there, take a Swiss Air flight to London City Airport.

 

The FA's phone call may have described it as a “chat”, but Capello was under no illusions. This was a full-fledged interview, with a likely black-or-white result. Like those one-off “dates” prior to arranged marriages, it would result in him moving into Soho Square or retreating to the commentary booth. Capello probably knew as much about the English game as any foreign manager who kept abreast of things without ever working or living in England could know, which isn't all that much.

 

In the 72 hours leading up to the meeting, Capello was briefed on what to expect. Branchini painted verbal vignettes of the characters Capello would be meeting: Barwick, of course, as well as his trusted sidekick, Johnson, Adrian Bevington, the FA's head of communications, and Brooking, the director of football development.

 

They tried to figure out what arguments would resonate with each of them, what each FA representative's priorities might be and they tried to anticipate every possible question. They also discussed what the process would entail. Barwick had ensured that he would be the focus of this manager search and that it would be less of a communal affair than previous ones, but, ultimately, he wasn't omnipotent. He had a board to answer to and it would be important to identify and neutralise whatever objections or caveats the other board members might throw at Barwick.

 

Armed with that information, Capello set about putting together a PowerPoint presentation for the FA. Yes, just like a middle-management type flying off to try and impress clients, Capello's camp relied on good ol' PowerPoint.

 

Thus, on Wednesday, December 12, Capello set off from Malpensa, switched flights in Zurich and landed at City Airport just after noon. Whatever spotters were staking out the arrivals lounge evidently didn't notice him (or, more likely, were too intent on flights from Italy) and he easily slipped out and into the waiting car the FA had arranged.

 

From there, the car headed north and west to Wembley. Any fears of a media scrum were swiftly put to rest. When they arrived at Wembley Way, just before 2 o'clock, a couple of photographers were waiting outside, but that was it. Capello, his son Pierfilippo and Diego Rodriguez, his Spanish lawyer, strode in to meet the FA contingent, which, as Branchini predicted, consisted of Barwick, Johnson, Bevington and Brooking.

 

One of the first things that struck the FA was Capello's command of English, which was better than they expected. At Wembley that day Capello listened intently and only on a few occasions did he turn to Pierfilippo to clarify what the FA crew were saying. He expressed himself in English as much as he could, deferring to Pierfilippo for the more complex concepts. The PowerPoint presentation, painstakingly put together in the previous 48 hours, did the rest.

 

It outlined Capello's vision in great detail. It covered scouting, both of English players and opponents, the type of work to be done in training, relations with the media, his assistant's specific duties, how the stays in the pre-match team hotels would be structured, physical preparations, relationships with clubs, medical support, the role of the Under-21 set-up, youth development ... basically every aspect of the job was covered. His meticulous preparation, as well as the way it was presented, enthralled the FA.

 

Barwick was quickly convinced, some of his advisers less so, but they soon came around. Especially because whatever fears they may have had of a “foreign invasion” were soon allayed when Capello's plans for a “mirror system” flashed on the screen during the presentation. For each backroom position occupied by one of Capello's Italian assistants, he envisaged an English “mirror” or “shadow”, who would work alongside them. This won points with the FA.

 

Capello was not coming in with the arrogance of the foreign “Mr Fix-It”. He was not a prophet descended from the heavens to guide a wayward footballing nation towards the light. Rather, he seemed to understand the FA's needs and, especially, how - no matter what anyone says and no matter how much the [sven-Göran] Eriksson experience might have changed some perceptions - England was a proud footballing nation and the appointment of a foreigner was a blow to that collective ego.

 

After several hours of discussion, it became clear that both sides were largely in agreement. Capello had answered the FA's queries to their satisfaction and, just as importantly, had shown himself to be well prepared and proactive. For his part, Capello, of course, knew he wanted the job. But he had gone into the meeting with an open mind, ready to pick up any warning signs that might turn him off.

 

In his mind, he was interviewing them as much as they him. How did they deal with pressure from clubs? How much independence would he have? How much decision-making power did Barwick really have? How did they deal with media intrusion into the England manager's private life?

 

Capello had reached a stage in his life where, if the working conditions weren't right, he didn't need the aggravation. He didn't have to like the FA representatives, but he did have to respect them and truly believe they could provide the right conditions for him.

 

Curiously, the one who most struck a chord with him was Barwick. The Liverpool-born former BBC executive is not photogenic and often comes across as aloof and awkward in public. For a man with a media background, he keeps a relatively low profile and is extremely discreet. Quite the opposite from the bosses that Capello was accustomed to working for.

 

Capello liked Barwick's understated professionalism. But he was also looking for something else, something beyond planning, projects and negotiation, some kind of personal connection. It came in what for Barwick might have seemed a casual line, but which had a profound effect on the Capello camp. “I believe in you.”

 

Those words, tumbling earnestly from Barwick's lips, helped to seal the deal, at least metaphorically, in Capello's mind. The FA had addressed his practical, logistical and technical concerns to his satisfaction. The vibe he got from Barwick spoke to his heart and his soul. It felt right. Shortly thereafter, around 5 o'clock, the meeting was wrapped up. Capello had heard enough, the FA had, too.

 

Capello motioned to Pierfilippo and to Rodriguez and said they would be taking over from here. In those three hours, they had covered everything; all that was left were the financial terms of his contract. He didn't need to be around for that part of the discussion. With that, he made his farewells and set off for Heathrow airport.

 

On Friday morning, Capello left his home in Milan and headed north. Two carloads of photographers who had been staking out his residence were hot on his heels. It was a crisp sunny morning as he got on the motorway. Was he heading to Malpensa airport? Or was he off to some secret meeting with FA representatives?

 

Realising he was being followed, Capello exited the motorway and headed towards the outskirts of Varese, some 25 miles north of the city. He knew these roads well, having lived nearby in Legnano when he was at Milan. He made a series of turns, then doubled back, then took a variety of side roads. When he looked in his rear-view mirror, they were gone. He had successfully shaken off the paparazzi.

 

Satisfied with himself, he headed for the border, crossing over into Switzerland and arriving at the Lugano offices of the Studio Severgnini, the Milanese law firm where Edoardo, his other son, worked.

 

It was here, on the shores of Lake Lugano, that the England contract was signed. The fax machine whirred into life and, in the presence of two certified witnesses, Capello put pen to paper.

 

The deal was done

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle4637102.ece

[fyds]

Switzerland has working fax machines, eh?

[ion]

A sincere question: at what point do we decide that we're taking it all – and ourselves – too seriously?!

 

Capello chose to lie low.

 

“You're going to get a call from someone at the FA in the next half-hour,” Branchini told Pierfilippo. “Keep your phone on.”

 

Pierfilippo's phone rang and the words “private number” flashed on his mobile. Thus, against the wintry backdrop of Istanbul's Hagia Sofia, first contact was made.

 

“OK, then. For the next ten to fifteen days you won't hear from us. Then, once we know what the situation is, we'll call you.”

 

Upon reflection, Capello had no way of knowing whether the voice on the other end of the phone was genuine

 

...spotters were dispatched to each of London's five airports. Any flight from Malpensa, Linate or Bergamo airports in Milan would be scrutinised.

 

Capello designed his trip carefully. He would fly from Malpensa to Zurich and then, from there, take a Swiss Air flight to London City Airport.

 

They tried to figure out what arguments would resonate with each of them, what each FA representative's priorities might be and they tried to anticipate every possible question.

 

Thus, on Wednesday, December 12, Capello set off from Malpensa, switched flights in Zurich and landed at City Airport just after noon. Whatever spotters were staking out the arrivals lounge evidently didn't notice him (or, more likely, were too intent on flights from Italy) and he easily slipped out and into the waiting car

 

Barwick was quickly convinced, some of his advisers less so, but they soon came around. Especially because whatever fears they may have had of a “foreign invasion” were soon allayed when Capello's plans for a “mirror system” flashed on the screen during the presentation. For each backroom position occupied by one of Capello's Italian assistants, he envisaged an English “mirror” or “shadow”, who would work alongside them.

 

It was a crisp sunny morning as he got on the motorway. Was he heading to Malpensa airport? Or was he off to some secret meeting…?

 

Realising he was being followed, Capello exited the motorway and headed towards the outskirts of Varese, some 25 miles north of the city. He knew these roads well, having lived nearby in Legnano when he was at Milan. He made a series of turns, then doubled back, then took a variety of side roads. When he looked in his rear-view mirror, they were gone.

 

Satisfied with himself, he headed for the border, crossing over into Switzerland and arriving at the Lugano offices of the Studio Severgnini, the Milanese law firm…

 

Select the most appropriate from the following headlines:

 

a) How One Man Changed the Course of the Second World War.

b) Citizens Enjoy E.U Border Freedom Ruling

c) Bloke Hired to Train Footballers

 

FFS.

(Disclaimer: This post is in no way directed at the original poster, but instead the journalist and football in general)

[Rimbeux]

Agree with the sentiment, but this is in reality a very high profile job, paying millions, responsible to millions of stakeholders and with a major influence over 10s of millions of pounds in revenue and in the wider economy. It shouldn't really be that way, but there are many areas you could consider frivolous in the grad scheme of things that in reality are vital to the economy and the lifeblood of the country and indeed the world.