7.5 million pounds too late.
After the abysmal showing at South Africa he was never going to recover the fans, he lacks the power to inspire players he always has. Spain friendly aside, which surprised me, you look at the Ghana/France/Sweden friendlies and he just never set the team up with either freedom or purpose. He had a talented Madrid team and a talented Juve team, 2 of the greatest teams assembled in the 21st century, and won titles. But he never showed a quality that you need as an international manager, tactical versatility and fluid preparation.
My opinion of Capello for years has been he's a man driven by the compensation cheque he'll get not by a desire to build either a legacy or plaudits. This would always end in tears like every other England manager saga always does.
I have multiple points of view on whether Harry should get the job or not, he should get it but not because he's English. He should get it because out of all available options he is the best man to build a national identity; legacy and successful setup.
Sven came in '01 he was a tactician; McLaren came in as a players man who relied on loyalty to drive his players on and Capello came into the job as a rigid, strict, 'Italian style' coach.
In 11 years we've gone down 3 routes and all have failed, those 11 years are the 'golden generation' of English football. We have a chance to direct the new generation of Wilshere's/Carroll's/Welbeck's into a new mentality. Maybe it is time to go for a motivator like Harry who has proven he is one of the best around for giving players freedom...
On the other hand Harry is a day to day manager who spends most of his day at the training ground which is surely part of his success of getting players on side and monitoring development. He wouldn't be able to use that skillset with England to the extent he does in club management, he would bring in a backroom staff of British coaches which may help in the functionality. Harry does keep players on a leash at club level, he gives you long boundaries but if you overstep them he does discipline you. He knows most of the players and watches a lot of football which makes him very familiar with the pool of talent but possibly too familiar with certain players (Dawson, Huddlestone, Defoe etc).
Something I would do personally if I was the FA is promote Eddie Howe or a young manager outside the Premiership to assistant manager role alongside Harry to learn from him and inject new ideas. I'd get rid of Stuart Pearce and the notion that he's the future England manager in 10 years time, put in place a young coach from either a successful academy or promote an English youth group coach to the U-21's.
I'm apprehensive about Redknapp but there is a distinct lack of options out there even on the continent. Saying that it would be very refreshing to finally have an England manager that sets up a team thinking 'how will they try and stop us playing' rather than 'lets stop them first'. It would be good to have a team which will be young playing with freedom and without fear, something that will never happen under Capello.
So at the end of all that I haven't swung one way or another, whoever does come in this will be the perfect time to do so with expectations so low.
I've said all ^ that and now I'll come across like a tabloid when I say man for man we have easily got one the top 3 XI's in Europe. For me Parker is exceptional, factor in Wilshere in a deep role with him and the choices we have in wide areas with the young creative players we have in the hole and it's a excellent team. One thing England has now is choices, young choices from CB to CAM there is an abundance of talent coming through.
Ozil/Khedira midfield base vs Parker/Wilshere, I'd take the latter pairing. We got torn apart by Klose at the world cup, Barry got ran ragged because he's got no speed or tempo to play in or against a youthful team. It's not like Capello took and played the best possible team at the world cup before we even get to the system, not excusing their performances at all but England has a lot to be proud of at the minute in the young players department.
