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Just when we thought Fabio Capello can instill greater discipline into the England team and make role models out of the players. Yet his moral image has suffered a dent as he is now implicated in an investigation for tax fraud by prosecutors in the northern city of Turin.

Capello has assured the FA he has nothing to fear from the investigation. He said: “With my advisers, I have always endeavored to conduct my financial business with integrity. I understand that these inquiries in Italy are part of a wider investigation into the finances of many high-profile individuals.”

The Football Association has rallied behind their man, saying: “Mr Capello’s fiscal affairs are in order. We have spoken with Fabio and his advisers and they explained the facts to us.”

Raffaele Guariniello, the head of the investigation, refused to comment, but it is understood that the investigations are focused on Capello’s income from his sponsorship deals at that time. The most prominent deal was with Zerorh+, who provide his distinctive glasses. However, their annual payment is not known. It is possible that the investigation will also extend back to Capello’s spells at AC Milan and Roma as well.

The investigation has snowballed from the initial checks into the finances of Juventus, which started a year back, and Guariniello has already interviewed several figures, including Luciano Moggi, the former chief executive of the club. But so far, nothing incriminating has surfaced and Capello is not about to take stands for charges of tax evasion.

Pier Filippo Capello, his son and agent, said: “This is not an investigation. It is merely to ascertain some facts. We know about it, but it is merely an offshoot of the Calciopoli, football bribery, investigation.”

“It follows the modus operandi adopted up to now to check the earnings of famous people. One of the reasons for this method is that these people, like my father, often change residence because of work.”

The tax evasion suspicion is also not helped by the complicated network of foreign holding companies in the Capello family. Their family trust is based in Guernsey, and includes a holding company called Sport 3000 and is based in Luxembourg.

In turn, Sport 3000 is linked to 1000% F.C, a company run by his son Edoardo, which runs his four houses in Milan, and his property on the island of Pantelleria. Capello also has an Irish investment fund and a stake in a property company in Legnano, called Verde Cortese.

Capello has already been the subject of one embarrassing tax investigation, when it was discovered that he had faked an address in Campione d’Italia, a town in Switzerland, in order to dodge taxes. Investigators in Como found that Capello had been told by Roberto Salmoiraghi, the mayor of Campione d’Italia, to transfer his tax residence to the town.

The only worry for the FA is the the dirt which will stick to the coach once his name is linked with such an inquiry. Senior sources within Capello’s camp have also been eager to downplay the story, pointing out that the vagaries of the Italian justice system have sensationalized the case more than it apparently is.

As Capello is a high profile character in the Italian sporting arena with his salary advancing into the millions, his financial dealings are likely to be scrutinized but I feel that so long as he is upfront and transparent and provide the authorities with any information they require, he should come out of the scandal unscathed.

Yes, it has to be unscathed. Nothing less is expected of him. Capello’s main strength lies in his disciplinarian approach and if he loses the moral high ground, the aura he commands could be unraveled and it will be difficult to get the prima-donnas to toe the line. At the moment, Capello is innocent until proven guilty.

The scandal is really something which England can do without, as the country seeks to revitalize their team under the Capello revolution. After Eriksson’s sex scandals, England don’t need another coach who gets into the headlines of the tabloids as frequently as the players.

Still, I believe there will be minimal distractions for Capello’s preparation of England’s first match in charge, against Switzerland on February 6, that is if the tabloids have not uncovered further shocking truths.

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