FABIO Capello’s appointment as the new England manager was finalised today with the Italian taking charge on a four and a half year contract reportedly worth $A15.19 million a year.
The Italian, 61, succeeds Steve McClaren, who was sacked last month after a Wembley defeat by Croatia ensured that England would not qualify for the finals of Euro 2008.
Capello’s appointment had been approved by the FA’s board of management, subject to the successful conclusion of contract negotiations.
The former AC Milan, Real Madrid, Roma and Juventus manager will bring an all-Italian four-man support team with him: assistants Franco Baldini and Italo Galbiati, goalkeeping coach Franco Tancredi and fitness coach Massimo Neri.
An English coach is to be added to the backroom staff but the identity of that individual has not yet been decided, with under-21 coach Stuart Pearce among the possibilities.
Capello will carry out his first duties in his new job next week when he is presented to the media in London, although he will not formally begin work until January 7.
His first match in charge will be a friendly against Switzerland in February with his first competitive fixture not coming until the autumn of next year, when England begin their bid to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
"I am delighted that Fabio Capello has agreed to become England manager," said FA chief executive Brian Barwick.
"When we set out to recruit the new manager, we said we were committed to appointing a world-class candidate. In Fabio Capello we have that man.
"Fabio is a winner. His record over the last two decades speaks for itself.
"At every club he has managed Fabio has won the league title and (FA director of football development) Sir Trevor Brooking and I were left in no doubt of his passion and commitment to bring that success to the England team."
Capello had expressed his interest in taking on the challenge of reviving England’s fortunes almost as soon as McClaren was sacked and his path to the best-paid job in football management was cleared when Jose Mourinho pulled out of the running earlier this week.
"Fabio Capello is widely recognised as one of the world’s finest coaches," added Brooking.
"He has achieved huge success wherever he has worked and has the respect of everyone in football.
"Fabio will have the full support of the FA and its coaching set-up. We are excited about working with him over the coming years as we focus on qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa."
Leading figures including Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Sven-Goran Eriksson have all endorsed Capello’s credentials although the FA has been criticised by some for failing to put an Englishman in charge of the national team.
A tough midfielder who won 32 caps for Italy as a player, Capello initially worked as a business manager in Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest empire before returning to football as successor to Arrigo Sacchi at Milan.
He led Milan to four Italian titles as well as masterminding their triumph in the 1994 Champions League.
Another five league titles followed in subsequent spells in charge of Real Madrid, Roma and Juventus, although Juventus were stripped of two of those as a result of the corruption scandal that rocked Italian football last year.
Agence France-Presse
Source: Capello confirmed for England
