Friday, October 07, 2011

Carragher Demands English Boss

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes England are 'cheating' by having a foreign manager in charge of the national team.

Fabio Capello was handed the reins after Steve McClaren failed to guide the Three Lions to qualification for Euro 2008, and persuaded Carragher to briefly come out of international retirement for last summer's World Cup.

England now look set to reach their second major tournament in a row, with a point all that is needed against Montenegro on Friday to make it through to Euro 2012.

Capello will stand down after the finals in Ukraine and Poland, and Carragher feels his replacement must be English.

While the 33-year-old insists his criticism is not aimed at Capello, he maintains that having a foreign coach is 'embarrassing'.

"The next manager of England should be English," said Carragher.

"I've got nothing against Capello, I went to the World Cup and got to know him, but that's not what international football is.

"It's like saying if our keeper's not good enough, we'll go and get (Gianluigi) Buffon from Italy.

"It's a form of cheating in international football and it's a bit embarrassing.

"It's different for developing countries in Africa and elsewhere, who are trying to build the game up but, for England, such a big football nation, I don't think we should have a foreign manager.

"Just because it didn't work out with Steve McClaren, it didn't mean we had to go for a foreign manager.

"We should have gone for the next best Englishman."

Carragher also believes the lack of opportunities English managers get at top Premier League clubs is a contributory factor.

He added: "If every club had an English manager, someone would have to win the league! Someone would have to win the FA Cup! And then they'd accumulate these trophies.

"Capello had an aura and presence that maybe McClaren didn't have.

"And it was the same with the likes of Benitez and Houllier at Liverpool, and Mourinho at Chelsea.

"With their CVs, they've all got something about them and have won big trophies. So does that mean English managers need to go abroad?"

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