Fabio Capello has followed Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola in publicly rejecting the prospect of managing Chelsea.
The Italian, who quit as England manager in February over the Football Association’s axing of his captain, Chelsea’s John Terry, is keen for a return to the Premier League.
But Capello said on Saturday that he would not be taking over from Roberto Di Matteo at Stamford Bridge.
‘I will not go to Chelsea,’ said Capello, after he was filmed greeting Terry on the pitch before Chelsea’s Champions League final in Munich against Bayern.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich may yet be able to change Capello’s mind but the 65-year-old Italian, who enjoyed huge success as a club manager with AC Milan, Roma, Juventus and Real Madrid, is showing interest in the vacancy at Liverpool instead.
Capello’s rejection of Chelsea is unexpected, given that he had made the running with the club by requesting information on their set-up. But it may still concern Chelsea that two high profile and well qualified managers have now ruled themselves out of the job.
Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes claimed that he could never work for an owner like Abramovich, who demands tactical discussions with his managers, and that could be adding a fear factor to the recruitment process.
Chelsea have had eight managers in eight years during the Russian’s reign and the last ‘long-term’ appointment, of Andre Villas-Boas, lasted less than eight months.
But Liverpool now look like a viable option for Capello, who was on the club’s long list of candidates to replace the sacked Kenny Dalglish.
Capello is interested in the challenge of trying to bring the glory days back to Anfield but would demand substantial transfer funds, which could be a sticking point.
