Capello will stay, insists FA bigwig
BOLTON chairman and Football Association board member Phil Gartside insists Fabio Capello deserves to keep his job despite England’s World Cup debacle.
England chiefs have told the Italian they need two weeks to decide whether to sack him, following a hugely disappointing second-round exit. But Gartside has become the first FA figure to reveal his hand, and he expects the majority of his fellow board members to follow suit.
“We’ve got the best man for the job,” he said. “It’s not his fault. He’s done a good job, he needs to get on with it. I hope he stays and I think he will stay.”
Capello earns around £5m per year, meaning the FA face a potential £10m payout if they choose to terminate his contract two years early.
But Gartside added: “It’s not about the money. We have to be strong. It’s not the fans who have an issue, it’s the press.”
Capello’s fate will be decided by Club England chairman Sir Dave Richards and managing director Adrian Bevington, but their call needs approval from the 11-man FA board.