Can Fabio Capello Restore the Pride to English National Football?

The FA have axed national team manager Steve McClaren and his assistant Terry Venables following England's failure to qualify for next summer’s trip to Austria-Switzerland. 

The two coaches have been the cynosure of many controversies and censures.

We all know about the West Ham and the Leeds United saga, and let’s also not forget about their feckless handling of many refereeing situations.

But more troubling then all these transgressions was the selection of McClaren as England's manager, which was atrociously carried out by Brian Barwick, the FA Chief Executive.

After England parted company with the rather prolific Sven-Goran Eriksson, renowned columnists and football pundits around the world called for the next manager to be home-grown rather than foreign-born. Several British managers were interviewed for the position, such as Sam Allardyce and Martin O’ Neill, but Barwick thought McCLaren had the most impressive credentials.

My question: Why must England's manager necessarily be English?

Some would say that no one can understand the gist of English Football like an Englishman, and this understanding will ease player-manager interaction.

But why prioritize nationality over passion, or English Language Proficiency over managerial knack?

Barwick ignored these issues, and now he's facing the rebukes and rants. What was so special about McClaren to single him out from his peers like Sam or Pardew? They are all cut from the same cloth—underachievers.

I think Barwick thought the word "underachiever" dovetailed with "England," so he went for the former Middlesborough Boss.

Now that McClaren has gotten the boot—much to fans' delight—the FA must be sagacious in every step they take towards the recruitment of their next coach, who is sure to be under fire from the get-go.

Many English commentators have compared managing England to drinking from a poisoned chalice. Perhaps this notion has led many favorites to recoil from their interest to guide England to an elusive success since the World Cup in 1966.

O Neill, Sam, Mark Hughes, Harry Redknapp, Marcelo Lippi, and Jose Mourinho (unofficially) have ruled themselves out of the running for the job, but there is one intrepid man who has voiced his desire for the position several times—Fabio Capello.

The 61-year-old Italian coach has reached success with Roma, Juventus, Milan, and most recently with Real Madrid. His interview with Football Focus on BBC revealed his fascination with English Football. In the broadcast, Capello said it would be a "sweet" challenge to be at the helm of the English National Team.

He’s gritty, judicious, and doesn’t gamble or make crazy decisions like England's last two managers—and he never gives up. We all saw what a tremendous season Real had under him, especially in the rejuvenation of David Beckham.

Since Barwick has insisted that nationality won’t be a factor in choosing his next manager, I can't see any better man than Capello to revive England's hopes and guide them to the 2010 World Cup.