After trading in the “world’s best player” and then signing an over-the-hill striker whose panache has been eroded by a stint at Newcastle and long term injuries, is Alex Ferguson running out of options already? Maybe Ferguson is not desperate but rather, the 32 page glossy brochure depicting Owen as a charismatic, cool, good-looking, articulate, clean, fresh, fit and healthy player have worked its wonders on him.

We will never know but from a financial perspective, this roll of the dice by Alex Ferguson presents mutual benefits and little risks. Manchester United secured Michael Owen’s service on a free transfer and will pay him a low basic salary of about £20,000 a week, with massive performance-related bonuses which could take him close to £110,000 a week. Compared to previous costly errors in the transfer market, this is a shrewd investment by a long mile.

For the player, he gets a taste of Champions League football (instead of fighting relegation battles with Hull and Stoke) and a chance to add Premier League titles to his career highlights. The top-notch training facilities, medical team and lower expectations from Manchester United fans will also provide a conducive environment to resurrect his flagging career, just in time for the World Cup next year.

David Beckham has shown that money is secondary, provided he can fulfill his dreams of playing for a prestigious European club and representing England in the World Cup again. He willingly accepted pay cuts in AC Milan and virtually paid out of pocket to settle terms with LA Galaxy. Fabio Capello was rightfully impressed with his determination and there is no reason why he should not give Owen a fair chance if the latter rediscovers his lethal scoring instincts.

Currently, shirt sales attributed to Michael Owen are stagnant, which means that Manchester United fans have yet to warm up to this former stalwart of arch rival, Liverpool. It will take several match-winning performances for Michael Owen to prove his mettle, win over the skepticism of the fans and vindicate Alex Ferguson’s judgment.

However, even if the club has to contend with a non-performing Owen, the financial losses can be written off easily. Of paramount concern is the dearth of quality reinforcements which could hinder their title campaign next season. With Manchester United’s massive debts, not winning trophies and being forsaken by football fans is a recipe for financial disaster.

In Europe, challenging the likes of Barcelona which handily defeated them in the Champions League and the awe-inspiring Galaticos II of Real Madrid is becoming an uphill battle. On the domestic front, Liverpool and Chelsea breathed down Manchester United’s neck in the closing stages and if not for their inconsistencies which proved insurmountable, the Premier League race could have a different outcome.

Indeed, Manchester United should be beefing up or at least retaining its core assets but they were forced to sell Cristiano Ronaldo, their most reliable source of goals, to Real Madrid. Carlos Tevez is also set for a move to Manchester City or Chelsea, further reducing United’s front line options.

In fairness, Ronaldo has been clamoring for an exit for some time and Alex Ferguson has done his best to extract much value from the Portuguese. Keeping him for another season will only result in a disgruntled player with diminishing returns on the pitch and lower market value as well as disruption to team spirit.

Unlike Arsene Wenger who confessed that his transfer budget is not as generous as reported and Liverpool’s financial quagmire as highlighted by KPMG, Manchester United are flush with cash (from Ronaldo’s sale) and they still maintain a winning touch as domestic champions and consistently deliver in Europe, yet world class talents are reluctant to bite the bait.

Karim Benzema, one of the fans’ favorites, was clear about his career path and never wavered from his ambition to join Real Madrid. As for Franck Ribery, he is understood to show a firm interest in playing for Liverpool. David Villa will only contemplate the overtures of Barcelona or Real Madrid, rather than the gloomy weather in Manchester.

Manchester United’s next target is Aguero but he lacks pace, height and clinical finishing, yet is outrageously expensive. The deal will also require Berbatov to move in the opposite direction, and is a poor exchange even if the Bulgarian’s laziness and inability to convert crucial penalties earned the ire of United’s fans. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, a key member of the current Dutch side, is unappreciated in Real Madrid but Manchester United have yet to table an attractive bid.

But before we jump to the conclusion that Manchester United board has not tried hard enough or are using the money to pay off financial obligations, we have to understand that Spanish clubs traditionally enjoy an upper hand in the transfer market. Florentino Perez’s re-appointment as Real Madrid’s President further strengthened their appeal.

Manchester United always come a distant second when competing on equal terms for established Latin players since the days of Gabriel Batistuta, Marcelo Salas, Patrick Kluivert, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho. The arrival of Carlos Tevez is more of a fluke due to the intricacies of his contract, West Ham’s troubles, and the absence of major clubs’ interest.

Under such circumstances, perhaps the fans should be thankful for the arrival of Antonio Valencia (a virtual unknown poorly rated), Michael Owen, and another French youth winger Gabriel Obertan who offers lot of promise, but don’t expect any of the three to make major contributions immediately.

We can draw parallels for this dry period of talents to the 2006/07 season – when United sold Ruud van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid and only signed Michael Carrick from Tottenham Hotspur. Fortunately, Carrick managed to bolster a weakened midfield and has since matured into a player capable of holding the fort for the Red Devils.

Of the three recent signings, I place greater faith in Michael Owen to measure up to expectations. Home grown finishers in the Premier League don’t come any better than Michael Owen. In May 1997, at the tender age of 17, he burst onto the scene and began an illustrious career of breaking goal scoring records.

His electrifying pace, poacher’s instinct and goody two-shoes nature made him a hot football property, exactly the type of player who will sit well with Alex Ferguson. England also placed high hopes on Owen that they can finally terrorize opponents into submission.

At Liverpool, Michael Owen forged a fearsome partnership with Robbie Fowler and in fact, hastened the departure of the moniker of God. Owen became Liverpool’s top scorer every season since 1998 until he left the club and had scored more than 150 goals. Despite England’s early exit from the World Cup, Owen was named the 1998 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

In 2001, Michael Owen’s late brace in the FA Cup final against Arsenal took the trophy to Anfield and he completed a treble of honors by winning the UEFA Cup Final against Deportivo Alaves. At the end of the year, Owen became the first English player in twenty years to win the European Footballer of the Year award.

Unfortunately, Michael Owen’s bout of injury in 2003-2004 resulted in a bleak season for Liverpool. Gerard Houllier became the first victim, followed by Owen whose sale to Real Madrid for £8 million was approved by incoming manager Rafael Benitez. Despite being confined to the bench, Owen still ended the La Liga season with thirteen goals, and achieved the highest ratio of goals scored to number of minutes played.

The downfall started when Newcastle United held out an olive branch to Michael Owen who wanted more match time to be in top form for World Cup 2006. The deal was sealed but Owen ended up spending more time in the treatment room than playing for the Magpies. It is fair to say that his injury stems from mismanagement and bad luck.

The broken metatarsal in 2005, tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in a short-lived World Cup 2006 that kept him out for a year and the hernia operation in 2007 effectively destroyed the aura surrounding Michael Owen. In all, he suffered injury or illnesses 16 times during his time at Newcastle and made only 58 Premier League starts.

At Manchester United, I believe Michael Owen will receive better care to shake off his rustiness and get back to full fitness. Under the watchful eyes of Alex Ferguson, the signs from pre-season training are good that the player still retain his scoring touch, is working hard and enjoying his time at Old Trafford. After all, Owen has many friends in the United squad, thus integrating into the team is not a problem.

I believe Alex Ferguson yearns for the return of a conventional striker. Last season, Manchester United have incredible firepower in Ronaldo, Berbatov, Tevez and Rooney, but they fail to outscore their closest competitors. Instead, United’s success was largely based on sound defending as they won games by the odd goal and embarked on a record breaking run of not conceding goal for 1212 minutes. Ferguson will certainly want the defensive discipline to continue but having another clinical striker to put away chances increases their title hopes.

But from so many strikers, why did Alex Ferguson gamble on an injured player? For one thing, he appreciates the fact that rewards, if materialized, greatly outweigh the risks. A case in point is the purchase of Ruud van Nistelrooy. The deal was nearly axed when the Dutchman ruptured his cruciate knee ligaments during a training session. Nevertheless, Manchester United persevered and completed the transfer in 2001 by paying PSV an additional £500,000 for the player’s services.

It turned out to be an excellent transaction as van Nistelrooy repaid the faith and money during his five years stint with 150 goals in 220 appearances as well as becoming the club’s all-time European scoring record with 38 goals.

While Michael Owen may have lost the blistering pace in his youth, he is still among the most clinical strikers in England. If Owen can thrive during Houllier’s era which saw a Liverpool side engaging in a patient game of short passing and counter attack, then he should love the fluid, entertaining play by the Red Devils.

Owen will certainly benefit from the dominant possession and chances created by Manchester United compared to the dis-spirited and incompetent players at Newcastle. Sometimes, the quality of service is so good, a striker need only be there physically to stick the ball into the net.

Manchester United’s attacking style also reduces the need to depend on pace since most opponents are pinned back and have to defend in numbers. Thus, timing and positioning are more crucial factors to capitalize on crosses from the flanks as well as link up play from midfield. Eric Cantona, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were among the influential strikers during Ferguson’s reign but each did not make their mark based on speed.

In terms of commercial success, Michael Owen isn’t a glamor signing like David Beckham who sells merchandise by the truckloads. Fortunately, Alex Ferguson’s transfers stand in contrast to Real Madrid’s vision. He prefers hatchet men to deliver, and the United brand will take care of itself. Thus, he is more than happy to have Real Madrid take David Beckham off his hands, even in the face of huge commercial losses.

Since Michael Owen is not going to start often, his value lies in being a veteran who has played at the highest level and rise often to the occasion. Owen can strengthen the bench for the big games, in the absence of Carlos Tevez.

The Argentine may win hands down in terms of pace and technical skills like passing, dribbling and ball control, but Manchester United have saved themselves £22 million. In addition, Tevez’s impact is not as significant as Cristiano Ronaldo and can be rendered redundant by Rooney.

Owen compensates for his one-dimensional game with a high conversion rate which stands proudly above Tevez, Torres, Berbataov and Rooney. Thus, little separates both players as they are expected to net 10-15 goals a season when coming off the bench.

Michael Owen also serves another purpose of acting as a model to improve the prodigious talents of Danny Wellbeck and Federico Macheda. In recent years, Ferguson has shown a propensity for signing vintage players. Laurent Blanc, Teddy Sheringham and Henrik Larsson were regarded as past their best but their purpose was to impart experience and skills to the youngsters.

Alex Ferguson has certainly come a long way from the impulsive ’90s when he wiped out old guards in one fell stroke and immediately blooding the youth team. However, competition has intensified tremendously and a team of hot-blooded youngsters may be a risky formula for success.

Just look at Arsenal. Beautiful football is dished out by a bunch of youngsters who are not short on skills, stamina and eagerness but their inability to capitalize on chances and hold their ground when the going gets tough is a major stumbling block.

Welbeck and Macheda will eventually step up but not after they have gained consistency and experience. Speaking of experience, some fans may prefer Samuel Eto’o or Thierry Henry. I agree they will be more beneficial for the youngsters but the price will not be cheap either. Since Alex Ferguson has been a long-time admirer of Owen and regards age as an asset rather than liability, this is a good time to pick up a distressed asset for pennies on the dollar.

Overall, Michael Owen makes an ideal replacement for Ruud Van Nistelrooy, an out-and-out striker who put goals away at close quarters. Ferguson can toy with different options by either fielding Berbatov in the hole while pairing Owen and Rooney up front. Or Rooney can play in a withdrawn position, leaving Owen and Berbatov to lead the front line.

But for every transfer success, there are also failures for Alex Ferguson. The United’s medical team cannot always perform miracles. Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were laid out for long spells and could not last the rigors of a full season. Eventually, they moved on.

I cannot say if Owen will be another Louis Saha or Ruud van Nistelrooy but since any player will need a few games to settle down in a new environment, and for someone who is low on confidence and fitness due to a myriad of injuries, it is fair to give Owen a longer time to hit top gear before judging him.

However, assuming Owen rediscovers his form, there are flaws to his game that make Cristiano Ronaldo appear indispensable. Owen may be a natural finisher (with one foot) but he lacks creativity, nor is he capable of holding the ball up on his own or getting past defenders with trickery. He has to feed off other players and his limited game outside the box means you have to build the team around Owen.

Despite these flaws in his game, I am more worried about Owen’s attitude and desire to win. Detractors of Cristiano Ronaldo may denigrate him as a flamboyant peacock and dirty diver, but nobody can deny that he demands an exacting standard of himself and possesses a burning desire to be the best footballer.

Cristiano Ronaldo trains hard – polishing existing skills and experimenting with new tricks to become a more complete player. Alex Ferguson has revealed the secret to the magic which Ronaldo weaves on the pitch and the answer is alarmingly simple: tireless hours of practice.

Does Michael Owen desire to win titles and improve himself? Or does he believe that an old dog cannot learn new tricks? Is he content to warm the bench or just go on the pitch and put in 90 minutes of insipid performance and then collect his wages at the end of the day? If he has this kind of attitude, no football club or manager can help him.

During the final matches of survival for Newcastle, I was disappointed by the Geordies’ lack of heart and character and their nonchalance towards relegation. Great hopes and responsibilities were thrust on Michael Owen but he did not respond in a positive manner. Thus, it remains to be seen if Owen works hard all the way at Manchester United or only impress in the first few matches.

As for Liverpool, they may be indignant but there is hardly any betrayal here. Michael Owen wanted to move back to Anfield on two occasions, giving them first priority and agreeing to take massive pay cuts but to no avail, probably because of injury concerns, transfer fees and more importantly, Benitez’s hesitation.

By the way, Owen is not the first player to ply his trade for both clubs, thus the animosity should not get out of hand. Previously, there were Phil Chisnall and Paul Ince who was appointed Liverpool’s captain. Sir Matt Busby also played for Liverpool before going on to manage Manchester United, making them the first English club to win the European Cup.

Nevertheless, Owen’s arrival at Old Trafford will deepen the rivalry which runs through both clubs from fans to boardroom. Such moves are frowned upon as can seen by Alex Ferguson’s refusal to allow Gabriel Heinze and Carlos Tevez to cross over to the enemy and similarly Steven Gerrard “just would not come.”

Relations between United and Liverpool reached new lows last season with Benitez’s infamous rant about Ferguson. This transfer certainly adds spice to the rivalry and it will be fascinating to see Owen visit Anfield with United in the Premier League on October 24.

Considering Michael Owen’s contributions for Liverpool, the fans should wish him all the best, even if he plays a significant part in a fourth consecutive Premier League title for Manchester United and their record 19th title. I hope the treatment will not be as belligerent as what we saw from the Catalans when Luis Figo switched from Barcelona to Real Madrid.

Will Manchester United get over the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo? There are no shortage of punters backing Owen to be the top Premiership scorer next season and also making the World Cup squad next summer. We shall see, in a few months’ time. Stay tuned for updates.

Amid this depression, nobody paid much attention to to Fabio Capello’s friendly match against United States at Wembley. For the record, England won 2-0. John Terry had been given a new lease of life when Capello appointed him as captain and the “crybaby,” (as mocked by some quarters), showed that he fully deserved the pacifier by scoring the opener. It will take more than a win over USA before Terry recovers from his Champions League misery but it was the right response for me.

A few days ago, I was rather touched to see an open letter published on Chelsea official site where Terry expressed his regret over the embarrassing penalty miss. His image as a pompous and ill-disciplined character has stuck in our minds but I am sure the fans were more than willing to forgive him after he accepted full responsibility and declared his deep loyalty to the club. To a large extent, a spitting incident on Carlos Tevez was mitigated.

For this match, I must say that those who did not watch the proceedings were lucky. The scoreline may suggest a comfortable victory, which is true given the ample possession and the none too adventurous nature of the Americans, but in terms of entertainment value, this could well have been the handiwork of Steve McClaren. Fact is, old habits die hard, loping the ball into the air after stringing a couple of passes seems to be written into the DNA of this team.

The forgettable performance could be due to fatigue as those involved in the Champions League finals were struggling to stamp their class and maintain a high tempo. The sharpness (or lack of) in front of goal could prove decisive against stronger opponents.

David Beckham continued his pursuit of records after attaining his centenary against France. Having scored a spectacular 70-yard injury-time shot in the LA Galaxy’s 3-1 win over the Kansas City Wizards last Saturday, he was sharp and fit enough to warrant a starting place.

Indeed, Beckham did not disappoint with an energetic display. He was first to create a goal threat with a free-kick that whistled past the post, and he crafted another scoring opportunity for Gerrard from a clever set-piece, but the latter’s shot was blocked by Clint Dempsey.

The thing about Beckham, regardless of whatever misgivings one may have, is that once he put his mind to something, he is able to prove his sternest critics wrong. Even Fabio Capello, with little love lost at the start of Real Madrid’s campaign, owed Beckham a debt of gratitude for a late rally to the La Liga title. However, Beckham is not known for consistency and his form is likely to fizzle out. Capello will be judging whether he can inspire LA Galaxy to the title or at least emerge from an entire Major League Soccer season unscathed.

After the break, Blackburn winger David Bentley replaced Beckham and while he expressed lofty ambitions to displace Golden Balls, I believe he is a long way off from world-class quality. Many aspects of his game, especially distribution of the ball and keeping possession can be improved.

The success Bentley craves has to come from hours of practice, just ask Cristiano Ronaldo whose 42 goals in this season was no coincidence, being the result of relentless training to perfect his skills and a deep desire to be the best in the world.

There was much intrigue in the telepathic understanding between Gareth Barry and Steven Gerrard. Capello exhibited great faith in Barry, having selected him for all his three matches in charge. This time round, Owen Hargreaves, playing the entire 90 minutes, was favored in the holding midfielder role after recovering from tendinitis. Barry came on for Frank Lampard in the 57th minute and within minutes, he struck a confident pass that sent Gerrard through for England’s second goal.

Clearly, the pair complement each other and Liverpool should do their utmost to secure the services of Barry, if they desire the Premier League title. An expensive signing which can fit and contribute to the team immediately as in the case of Fernando Torres is better than buying several unknown talents.

The seamless partnership between Gerrard and Barry forces the awkward issue of accommodating Frank Lampard. This conundrum will be non-existent if Lampard has not been so indispensable for Chelsea with his crucial goals and assists driving the team when the chips are down but yet, he is a misfit for England.

Frank Lampard’s contribution to the front line in terms of defense-splitting passes is poor, he cannot dribble and neither is he good at tracking back to defend. He will have been a mere shadow if not for the fact he balloons half-chances instead of feeding the ball to a better positioned striker.

Fabio Capello can continue to fit a square peg into a round hole by changing formations or fielding other players out of position as what previous coaches had done. However, I would prefer him to explore other possibilities in midfield and there are many.

As for the rearguard comprising Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Ashley Cole, it looks sturdy but we do not expect defensive frailties to be exposed by a team of USA caliber in the first place. Competition for the captain’s armband is keen – Terry’s goal and overall performance provides Capello with a pleasant headache on this issue. Ferdinand was in ascendancy but now a spanner has been thrown into the works.

So far, Fabio Capello has used three skippers – Terry, Ferdinand and Gerrard. Barry and Rooney are also worthy of being groomed in such a capacity but right now, they are behind the pecking order. Capello is shrewd in keeping his choice for the permanent captain close too his heart. In this way, everybody is kept on their toes and nobody can question the final choice given that it is based on merit after watching what each candidate can do while wearing the armband.

With the defense more or less settled, the strikeforce is still anybody’s guess. It has yet to take shape even if Capello has tried, and hopefully, not exhausted different options. There is no doubt Wayne Rooney is the first choice; he has a great attitude in training, holds the ball up well and can link up play with intelligent passes. In short, he functions as an excellent conduit when penetrating enemy’s territories. Despite a short fuse on the pitch and not scoring enough goals, no coach in his right mind will leave Rooney out of his plan.

The problem is to find him a partner, someone in the mold of Carlos Tevez will be a godsend. The last time, Gerrard was pushed upfront as a second striker but the result was not really desired in that Rooney ended up supporting Gerrard (and he sure fluffed a lot of chances) instead of the other way round.

If Tevez’s close control of the ball, energy and persistence cannot be found, at least there are youngsters with his pace, such as Theo Walcott and Gabriel Agbonlahor. Unfortunately, Capello takes references from stellar club performances, thus he is unlikely to utilize them in the World Cup until they get a solid run in their individual clubs.

Peter Crouch is a viable option but he cannot command a regular spot at Anfield and is even on his way out. Under such circumstances, I will hesitate to choose Crouch until he proves his worth. Instead of wasting time on the bench, Crouch should consider a transfer, even to a lesser club who can promise him a regular berth as the main striker. Certainly, Capello will not be willing to gamble on Defoe if he had remained at Tottenham where he is condemned by Ramos.

Dean Ashton, under the guidance of Harry Redknapp at West Ham, is blossoming into an excellent striker. His aerial prowess, strength and great eye for goal are attractive qualities. However, he is injury prone and lacks acceleration. Ashton may get a chance on Sunday as Defoe has already been given a chance to showcase his abilities. Too bad, he didn’t really turn up to be counted.

The Portsmouth forward had not the presence of mind to finish off several opportunities, especially a glint-edged chance started by a neat move involving Gerrard and Rooney but he sidefooted past the post in front of goal. Hopefully, Defoe has not killed his chance of featuring in future England matches with this performance. Michael Owen, who rediscovered his confidence and scoring touch at Newcastle, is once again back in contention as the firm favorite.

The USA team mustered little in attack and pressure, thus it is a pity that England cannot rack up more goals to account for their superior possession. The team is still a work in progress, while Capello has resources at his disposal, merging them into a compact and incisive team takes time. The front line enigma must be solved before the World Cup qualifiers but he can afford to experiment further on Sunday, especially since several players who appeared in the Champions League final may not travel for that encounter.

Victory means nothing in friendlies, but it is not a holiday camp or a mass gathering either. Capello has to gain a better understanding of his formation and his players as well as get his message across to them during this short period of bonding. He will now round off Sunday’s friendly against Trinidad and Tobago and the clash with the Czech Republic at Wembley in August, before the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign against Andorra.

The test starts in earnest for Capello with the game against Croatia in Zagreb on September 10. At the rate the team is forming up, Capello is still on track to deliver the FA’s targets but his remarks on wanting to be the most successful England coach ever seems a bit far-fetched.

However, before Gerrard floats to cloud nine, the armband may change ownership anytime as there are a lot of candidates vying to be captain. To keep everyone on their toes, Capello will make a decision until just before England begin their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign in September.

He said: “Gerrard is not going to be a permanent captain and I am not going to name one before the first qualifier against Andorra. But he is an important player for the team, he can pass on things and inspire other players.”

The ball is now in Gerrard’s court and Capello needs to be convinced that he deserves an extended run as skipper. Of the 63 caps Gerrard has won so far, he was made captain six times, with England winning two and losing four of those matches. Needless to say, this is not reassuring at all.

Serious doubts abound over his ability to rally his mates and whether the miracles he performed for his club can be replicated at international level. It will be a great service to himself too if he cut down on pre-match morale boosting talks, otherwise known as drivel, and focus more on the team’s performance. Acting gung-ho and then losing to the opponent makes him looks like a fool at the end of the day.

Fabio Capello will have a major headache, a pleasurable one though, when John Terry returns from injury. It is believed that Terry enjoys greater support from the players and remains a hot favorite to lead England. However, even if Gerrard fails to impress, Terry may still be bypassed unless he realizes who is the boss in this set-up.

Challenging Fabio Capello’s authority and indiscipline on the pitch will only cast him into the wilderness. There are other promising candidates like Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand who have been sounding off their intent and if they have strong performances to boot, there is no reason why they cannot feature as captain for friendlies. It is not surprising then that Capello is keeping his cards close to his chest.

The blueprint of success Capello has mapped for England is to incorporate a “winning mentality” in the underachievers, starting from Switzerland on Wednesday. When the first competitive match against Andorra comes along, he will have created a group of players that can play as a team under the same system that brought him glories at AC Milan, Juventus, Roma and Real Madrid.

The players have got a taste immediately of Fabio Capello’s iron fist when they were briefed on the ground rules governing their behavior while on England duty. Some of the “draconian” measures include a ban on using mobile phones outside their bedrooms and the exclusion of agents, wives and girlfriends from the team hotel.

He said: “I set some rules because in three days we need to create a way of working. Our objective is to form a group that will gel together.”

“These last two days we worked very hard on the tactical front, in order to create a group mentality and a way of moving on the pitch that reflects my ideas about football. I have seen very good cooperation from the players.”

Capello, speaking in Italian, parried the question about David Beckham’s exclusion from his first XI which denied him a 100th cap, by giving Golden Balls credit for Real Madrid’s successful campaign last season while calling on the press to focus their attention on players in the current team.

The Italian is not yet confident to speak to the British media in the same language, for fear of being misinterpreted but he has delivered on his first promise by addressing the players in English during training sessions. Apparently, it was clear enough for several players to be impressed.

Fabio Capello is not expecting an easy ride from the joint Euro 2008 hosts. He accorded them sufficient respect with praises of their players and their “dangerous” counter attack, nevertheless, I believe England should win comfortably against Switzerland.

With the remarkable achievements listed in his CV and the respect he commands from his player, he cannot afford to stumble, to lose a match, even if it is a friendly, and then recall David Beckham back into the team will reflect badly on him.

His approach so far is right – keeping the highly paid superstars on a tight leash and if they step outside the markers, they have no business representing England. This is vital to changing their mindset as a “golden generation” who deserves to win trophies.

During Sven Eriksson’s and Steve McClaren’s reign, the focus was on the coaches who were not tactically astute enough to bring the best out of the players. The players did not take any responsibility for the failures. Fair enough if we are discussing about the ineptitude of McClaren.

However, Eriksson has proven at Manchester City that his managerial capability is not blunted. He is able to lift a team used to battling relegation to a serious contender for European competitions. England could not benefit from his time in charge and the players have to examine themselves.

This time round, it is Fabio Capello in charge and with his credentials, he has nothing to prove, the onus is on the players to show their worth, if not, England is really a hopeless case and we should stop thinking of them as one of the footballing powers.

As for David Beckham, he is a former captain who is now dispatched to the wilderness of Major League Soccer, but still keeping himself in the limelight by training with Arsenal players. He should be in contention too.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes new England boss Fabio Capello would be wrong to deny David Beckham his 100th international cap. Beckham has had his differences with both Ferguson and Capello in the past.

But Ferguson does not want a player of Beckham’s stature to be left stranded on 99 caps. “To deny him his 100th cap would not be right and I think Fabio Capello has made up his mind about that,” Ferguson said. “In fact, I don’t think there is any doubt about that.”

Frank Lampard has lauded praises on Capello and maybe fancies a shot at being skipper. Now Rio Ferdinand has also received a vote of confidence from his gaffer.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson believes Rio Ferdinand can be the next captain of England. He said: “Rio has captained us a few times this season and experience is important in that role. He wouldn’t have captained my side if he wasn’t capable of captaining England. Rio has more than 50 caps. John Terry has the position but if it happens, I think he will be happy.”

If Capello listen to all these people, there will be a bunch of generals out there and no soldiers to fight the war.

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 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 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 Sven 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.

He has warned David Beckham that no privilege or sentiment will be extended even as the LA Galaxy midfielder yearns to win his 100th cap and become only the fifth England player, after Billy Wright, Sir Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore and Peter Shilton to reach a century of appearances.

Capello had begun charting the path of England in the 2010 World Cup. In his first official duty, he traveled to Zagreb on Monday to arrange the fixture list for the qualifying campaign. After an intense eight-hour meeting, he was finally satisfied with the schedule as he gets his wish to have a September clash with their main Group 6 rivals Croatia.

The Italian believes England are in a strong position when they travel to Zagreb after a summer of rest following their no-show in Euro 2008, while Croatia will be stretched from their exertions in the competition.

“September is a good month for English footballers, so given the fact Croatia are our strongest opponents, to play them then is ideal,” said Capello.

With the fixtures confirmed, Capello will now turn his attention on arranging friendlies leading up to the qualifiers. It is believed that at least one of two planned May fixtures will take place at Wembley, with Scotland on the agenda.

Eastern European opponents can be expected at Wembley for the scheduled August friendly, while the close season tour has been put on the backburner as they prefer to stay closer to home.

When quizzed about the captain’s armband, Capello prefers to keep the cards close to his chest. He indicated that he will look at potential captains in the five friendlies before Andorra (their first competitive match), saying: “I am evaluating whether to decide on a definitive captain or to appoint a provisional captain.”

“But please don’t take this as indecision. I first want to know the candidates well because it is such an important decision.”

Capello also revealed the desired qualities he has in mind for a captain. He said: “The captaincy issue is very important for England. There are many things I have to evaluate and I must come up with the choice that is right. A captain must be a leader, someone who carries the team, somebody that in every moment is important for the team.”

Sweeping changes are on the way as he hinted that senior players should be role models for the young and must behave accordingly. There is no place for ill-disciplined players under Capello’s iron-fist reign and for several key players who appear in the news for the wrong reasons, they may be sidelined regardless of their impressive club form.

In normal circumstances, I would say that Terry is the first choice as he is a natural leader who can fulfill most criteria but his succession of injuries and indiscipline will be a great cause of concern. Whether he gets the armband against Andorra is uncertain.

In Terry’s absence, Beckham stands a high chance of leading England out against Switzerland but Capello offered no promises on Beckham. While at Real Madrid, Beckham had a stormy relationship with Capello and he was relegated largely to a secondary role with few cameo appearances.

However, in the second half of the Spanish La Liga, he eventually won the Italian over and played a vital role in securing the title. Now Capello has to ponder whether Beckham can be equally effective in the England set-up for him and if it is justified for the 32-year-old to hold off the challenge of younger, more dynamic players such as Chelsea’s Shaun Wright-Phillips and Blackburn Rovers star David Bentley.

“A manager has feelings but first and foremost he has to take decisions. Beckham is important for England and can still give a lot, but all the players are equally important to me. We still have time to decide on Beckham.”

I feel Capello is right to be cautious about picking his captain. He has to be someone who can fit into his plans and lead by example, not because of pressure from the press or the fans.

David Beckham is playing his cards right with his recent move to Arsenal to maintain his fitness during the LA Galaxy lull period. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but if he managed to pick up some extra skills from Wenger’s guidance and the batch of Arsenal players: keep the ball on the ground and improve his range of passing, besides a renewed fitness, there is no reason why he cannot be given a new lease of life.

It has been shown that Beckham is a player you just can’t ignore. No, I am not referring to his ability to attract cash like a magnet. He still possesses a charisma on the pitch, especially when the team is in times of troubles. Steve McClaren made a “clean” break with Golden Balls but found that he has to depend on him at the end. Capello is also guilty of owing a debt of gratitude to Beckham for his inspirational performances when it counted.

However, for the long-term future of the team, developing youngsters should be the main priority. While a dedicated Beckham is an asset to the England set-up, there are other players like Lennon, Bentley and Wright Phillips who are waiting impatiently in the wings and their time to shine has come.

Capello has to decide if he wants to usher in a fresh start for England or to give this golden generation a last hurrah. But if his track record is anything to go by, only the players who adapt to his system survive and the final team will possess the necessary mental toughness to be a winner.

A great debate has ensued: will Fabio Capello usher in a new dawn for England’s football or will he fail terribly like so many of his predecessors?

On paper, Capello is outstanding and he has won a league title at every club he has ever managed. For the record, it is nine league titles in Italy and Spain (although the two he achieved with Juventus in 2005 and 2006 were stripped off in an Italian match-fixing scandal), Capello also took AC Milan to Champions League glory in 1994.

As a player, he did credibly too, winning 32 caps for his country and scored for Italy against England at the old Wembley in 1973 to secure the Azzurri’s first win over the Three Lions.

Whichever way you cut it, he fits the requirements of a “world class” manager but the outcry emanating from some quarters in England will have outsiders believing that the FA has bungled up again – it appears Capello is going to drag England through a new malaise.

Gareth Southgate, Steve Coppell and Mark Hughes are among those who have voiced their criticisms. Former England captain Paul Ince described Capello’s impending appointment is a “sad indictment of English football”. He said: “But when you build your CV up and they go out and get a foreign manager, sometimes you think, what’s the point?”

Of all people, Ince wants to complain. Does he seriously think that he can step in as England’s manager for his lacklustre performance as a club manager? And what kind of CV is he talking about for English managers? If they are so good, then why aren’t any being employed at the Big Four or the top European clubs, maybe the headhunters have missed out something? Ince is just making a pathetic case for himself, I believe.

Those who are in support of Paul Ince’s views prefer to see England fail than to see a foreign coach come in and implement a tried and tested system which will set the corner stone for England in future campaigns. Look at Real Madrid even after Capello has left, the ills plaguing the team from the Galacticos seasons have been eradicated and it is up to the next coach to build on a functioning championship team.

Certainly, in England’s context, it will not be smooth sailing. Language is a barrier. Capello’s grasp of English is basic and over time, it will be more effective for him to develop his English sufficiently to forge a bond with his players and the media. Imagine the players staring blankly at the manager and then waiting for the translation to come from his assistant.

Nevertheless, Capello has time on his hands to brush up on his English as his team does not have any competitive matches in a long time. His first matches in charge will be two friendlies: against Switzerland at Wembley on February 6 and against France in Paris on March 26. The real test will come in September 2008, when England begin their bid to qualify for South Africa 2010.

There is also the midfield conundrum of Gerrard and Lampard to tackle. For the strict defensive approach which Capello espouses, he will have no qualms ditching either one of them. He needs a holding midfielder who can search and destroy, Owen Hargreaves or Gareth Barry revel in this role of disrupting the opposition’s attacks and will be key options for Capello.

A strong goalkeeper has always followed Capello’s reign. In England, he will be deprived of this luxury. Steve McClaren’s choice of Scott Carson cost him dearly but his hand was forced by Paul Robinson’s lapses. Manchester United’s Ben Foster still needs much schooling while Robert Green is as fresh as a virgin. Capello can turn to Calamity James for experience but he will have sleepless nights once he reviewed the the past errors which James have committed.

Capello is known for ruling with an iron fist and it has proven to be very effective at club level. But at international level, he will be held at ransom by club managers who are reluctant to release their best players for international duties, especially when they are in the midst of a white-hot competition.

It would be unproductive to head for a showdown with the clubs as they are the paymasters of these prima-donnas. Given a choice between playing for England and endangering their already short playing career, the players will make a smart choice. They know where their priorities lie as they are being paid massively inflated wages.

Though the World Cup Finals is prestigious, most will feel that that the qualifying rounds of meeting the likes of Andorra and Kazakhstan are redundant. The challenge is to make the players feel proud of representing England, in qualifying stages as well as friendly matches.

Capello will also have to struggle with recovering momentum after a lull and the players lost some of the telepathy after not playing together for an extended period. The need to have enough back-ups for each position cannot be underestimated too as there are always injuries to the key players after a taxing season.

With all these challenges in mind, the fans have to temper their expectations. If the xenophobic and at times, bipolar, media starts screaming “Crapello” after some tame performances or unpopular decisions, then everything will fall apart again.

Give Capello time to rebuild the team. That may require breaking down the present team and starting from scratch to piece a team which plays for one another and with a winner’s mentality. I have no doubt that he will set about this process methodically and ruthlessly, as is his style, and once that is done, England will instill fear and respect into their s opponents.

The FA should give him a free hand and all the necessary support too. That means green-lighting the make-up of Capello’s backroom staff and coaching methods. That is the basis of his winning formula and you take it wholesale or leave it. The FA should have people taking notes on what makes Capello ticks as this could be the blueprint of success for future England managers.

I think the one thing Capello has in his favor is his reputation which, any self-respecting professional footballer will want to work with him and look at international football as a way to improve themselves. Capello has enough stature to create such an atmosphere for England.

As for Jose Mourinho, I supported his candidacy previously but I have since given up on a man who chickened out at the last minute. He did not want to put his reputation on the line and unravel his past achievements with this appointment. Just as well… when you have an uncommitted coach who is afraid of repercussions as you will end up with players who perform likewise.

Capello has indicated his desire to take on this beautiful challenge right from the start and the FA has reciprocated. The Italian has achieved everything possible at club level and he is at an age where he no longer craves the day-to-day involvement with players but his passion for the game remains undiminished.

Forget Mourinho, herald the new era under Fabio Capello for the Three Lions and enjoy the prospect of being world-beaters. It will be a crowning achievement for Capello as he writes himself a chapter in England’s history and the golden generation will benefit from his tutelage too.

Jose Mourinho will eat his heart out when he sees Capello and company standing on the top of the world.

Last Sunday, the results from the preliminary 2010 World Cup draw revealed that both teams are now in Group 6, together with Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra.

The draw, attended by South African president Thabo Mbeki and other soccer dignitaries, was beamed live to more than 170 countries worldwide. Europe were assigned 13 spots, Africa six (including the hosts), Asia and South America four, and CONCACAF three.

It is automatic qualification for winners of the nine European groups while the other four spots are left to the eight best runners-up to compete in a playoff. When the England-Croatia pairing was announced, there was an audible gasp from the audience. Not too sure if it came from the England camp but definitely the mention of Croatia these days is tantamount to opening up old wounds.

Since England degraded itself into an unseeded position, beggars can’t be choosers. If they clash with any of the traditional powerhouses like Italy, France or Germany, it will take a brave heart to believe they can make the trip to South Africa – adios to the golden generation as they slip into oblivion without any major honors.

As luck would have it, they face-off with Croatia who is ranked 10th in the world. On paper, that should be cause for celebration, barring the memories from the fateful night at Wembley a few days ago.

Taking a close look at Group 6, most will agree it is not easy. If England set their sights on World Cup qualification, then they should start their preparations right away. Speaking of “easy”, England must have looked wistfully at Group 2 with Greece and Switzerland as main threats accompanied by minnows Moldova, Latvia and Luxembourg.

Over the weekend, we have Michael Owen expressing his thoughts about England. He was presumptuous (bordering on arrogance), to imply that no Croatian player would be good enough to play for England. Just because he got injured and was spared the flaming from the press doesn’t give him a license to utter rubbish.

I am disappointed to see a supposedly intelligent player think in this manner. He needs to get a reality check before he can represent England again, top scorer or not. What is worrying is that Owen is not alone and his comments typify the superiority complex of the England team.

Delusions about their greatness while feeling that Croatia got lucky will not get England anywhere. Croatia merit the accolades and respect, having defeated England twice (3-2 and 2-0) in Euro 08 qualifying matches. In fact, since their independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, this East European nation has been a force to reckon with. Their impressive, but short, footballing history will put England to shame.

Croatia finished third in the 1998 World Cup, with Davor Suker clinching the Golden Boot award. They also qualified for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups without dropping a qualifying match. An undefeated record in all competitive matches played on home ground since 1994 still stands today. If England, the founders of modern football, can put together such steady performances on a regular basis, at least fans sporting England jerseys can hold up their heads higher.

To the egocentric players, how about looking in from the other side of the fence? How many of you will be able to step into the Croatia team? From what I have seen, the Croatians have a great first touch and dazzling movement that left England chasing shadows.

They made simple yet effective short passes – which is the way this game should be played. With the exception of Joe Cole, who made an effort to keep the ball on the ground, the rest prefers to send the ball into the air at the slightest opportunity, unleashing long range missiles to the front line relentlessly, hoping for the best.

Players like Eduardo, Modric, and Corluka, would be welcome into any England team. Eduardo will certainly give Owen a run for his money, being younger, quicker, less injury-prone, strong in the air, etc. Maybe England has never heard of all these players or have seen them in the Premier League, thus assuming none of them are on par. That is a simplistic thought.

I am beginning to feel that England overachieved under Erikkson. Although the buck rightfully starts with the manager, the harsh reality is that most English players thrive only domestically, in the junior school of English football. This bunch of prima-donnas can talk tough about blood and guts, but when it comes to the crunch, they lack the technique and skills. Most importantly, they do not know how to play as a team.

Besides Croatia, the new coach will do well to consider the strength of the other teams in Group 6. Ukraine cannot be underestimated. They made it to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup, but missed Euro 2008 by coming in fourth behind Italy, France and Scotland. Andriy Shevchenko scored a goal in the 2-2 draw with France and if he returns to his lethal form as he was for AC Milan, he will be a handful for England.

Belarus is another team with strong technical players. They beat Holland in the euro qualifiers and in the last world cup qualifiers came close to beating Italy away. They step up a gear or two against major teams but tripped over easier opponents. With Alexander Helb in the team (and he isn’t even a key player for Belarus), England should not let their guard down.

As for Kazakhastan, most people will think of the blockbuster movie Borat. Not much is known of their footballing abilities but the traveling distance will be a hindering factor. We mustn’t expect our jet-lagged multi-millionaires to be at their best, so this will need some handling. Andorra should be a face-saving grace for England if all else fails. Getting six points from them should be a breeze.

It will be interesting to see who the FA appoints to be the new England coach. Think positive, on the bright side, England may be rejuvenated once the FA get their act together and appoint somebody with the proper credentials and passion. The players can now string more than five passes together, have a winner’s mentality and exact revenge on Croatia for the humiliating defeats.

Yes, I will go to sleep on that thought. Till tomorrow.