UEFA European Under-19 Championships: England's Problems Run Deeper Than A Fabio Capello No-Show

There is a faint jingoistic hue to the criticism that Fabio Capello has taken since the World Cup ended and his England team were sent home after a resounding defeat to Germany. He has not been spared the blame from a reactionary press for the humiliation. The Italian was not up to the job of coaxing the best from the golden generation; his tactics have been described as flawed. He has seen his character beaten down from that of a studious, erudite authortarian to a bespectacled buffoon who cannot pick a team or master the basics of the English language.

And perplexingly, with his reputation at an all-time low, the media came to regard the UEFA European Under-19 Championships as Capello's next big test, even though he ostensibly has nothing to do with it. After stating that he would turn to youth in his quest to build an international profile for a poor England team, it was expected that he might cast an eye over the next generation as they played in France among their peers. It was his right to do so, but not his responsibility.

Vicente Del Bosque is not there. Neither are Slaven Bilic nor Carlos Queiroz. There exists a perception that Capello is failing to do his job of managing the senior team by refusing to watch, in person, the under-19s. It is staggering in its fatuity. His salary of £6 million has, no doubt, contributed to this idiocy; for that money, it is argued, he should be building winning teams. But the groundwork has not been laid; there is no fruit on the vine because it has not been nourished.


Fabio Capello | Conspicuous by his absence?

Consider Luis Milla, the coach of the Spain under-19s and his senior counterpart, Del Bosque. Both are reaping the benefits of efficient cantera systems the length and breadth of Spain. Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid are typically represented in the under-19 set-up and the side express a style of football that is remarkably similar to that of the senior team and, indeed, Barca.

High pressing, quick passing and emphasis on ball retention are all second nature to the likes of Keko, Thiago Alcantara and their well drilled team-mates. They do it every day at their clubs and every few weeks or so for the national side. There is a distinct identity to Spain's play from top down.

Likewise, with the inclusions of Sami Khedira, Mesut Oezil and other recent graduates, the German senior team is beginning to harvest the crop laid in the immediate aftermath of a truly horrendous Euro 2000, when the coaching systems were revamped. It is telling that Germany had their youngest tournament squad at this World Cup since 1934 but England's was among the oldest in South Africa.

Quite what the English expected Capello to do, aside from sit in the stands and watch yet another England team fall short in terms of technique and structure, is simply unknown. Players picked primarily on the basis of their physicality and pace are not going to suddenly transform themselves into a well-oild machine no matter how many times their coach yells 'press the ball' over the course of 90 minutes.

The team of which Noel Blake is the custodian is not up to the standard of Spain and did well to earn a point against an admittedly weakened France side. And perhaps crucially, the big former defender has been deprived of the services of some potentially influential individuals.

Jack Rodwell spent the pre-season in Australia with his club, Everton, and is now seen as an under-21 player and is therefore unavailable to Blake. Likewise the promising Blackburn Rovers defender Phil Jones and the Arsenal playmaker Jack Wilshere were similarly ruled out. No matter that David Alaba, the Austria captain at these finals, has senior caps to his name or that Zvonko Pamic, the Croatia midfielder, has represented his country's under-21 team. They played. They still have some learning to do and those lessons can be drilled in elite competitions such as this.


Jack Wilshere | Not considered for finals

It is a sentiment shared by Trevor Brooking, England's director of development. Earlier this month he told the BBC: "These tournaments are the only way to really benchmark our players. There really is no substitute for tournament football. If you look at the recent winners of this tournament you will see that Spain, France, Portugal and Germany are the big four, so there is a link to what happens in the seniors."

However, there is still something 'second rate' about this kind of tournament in England. Manchester United fans seem to be more interested in how the team might fare against the MLS All-Stars in the Mickey Mouse Cup than how their youth prospect Matthew James does in France. There is genuinely a scant regard for the future of the national team across the board despite the St George's cross hanging from every window for a month every four years.

This England under-19 squad does not look possessed of many players who could conceivably make the international grade. Thomas Cruise and Nathan Delfouneso have acquitted themselves well in a team that relies on bustle and set-pieces, much like the senior team does, whereas Laurent Blanc could probably blood three or four of this batch of French recruits in next month's friendly with Mexico and they would not look out of place. For Spain, Thiago Alcantara and Oriol Romeu look ready for at least some first team duties at Barcelona this season after intensive work under Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique at Barca B.

Contrast that to John Bostock, the scorer against Spain for England, who spent the latter half of last season failing to make the Brentford team. His football education was cut short at Crystal Palace when he moved to Tottenham Hotspur and his progress ground to a halt. He has some way to go to re-align his career.

Bostock and his Spurs team-mates were permitted by Harry Redknapp to join up with this representative team and that should be commended. However, perhaps Redknapp is attempting to keep the FA sweet so as to line up a run at the England manager's job once Capello's tenure ends. That would represent a degree of foresight rarely seen in the English game.

In other news, Bolton Wanderers have completed the signing of Marcos Alonso, 19, from Real Madrid.

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