Internationals / Feizal Rahman / 13 September 2009 / Leave a comment

England's stylish performances in qualifying for the World Cup are testament to their manager's qualities. Argentina must be looking on with envy, says Feizal Rahman.

"The greatest players are less likely to make the best managers simply because they do things via instinct and emotion rather than organisation and clarity of thought. This is what separates a Capello from a Maradona."

The importance of a manager in football may be obvious but what separates the good from the bad was highlighted this past international week.

While England cruised to a 5-1 victory over Croatia to secure their place at next year's World Cup (now [7.4] third favourites to win), Argentina suffered their second defeat in four days, leaving their chances of making it to South Africa in jeopardy (still fourth favourites to win at [11.0]).

England manager Fabio Capello has overseen a perfect eight straight wins in qualification but it's the style with which England have made it to the World Cup that has impressed the most, with an average of nearly four goals scored a game. While under Sven Goran Eriksson, qualification for international tournaments was also achieved with relative ease, failing to reach last year's European Championships under Steve McClaren was a huge psychological barrier to overcome. Yet, far from timidly go about their business, England have displayed a previously unseen vigour with confidence oozing from each of the once hapless stars.

While the changes in personnel have not been hugely distinctive, the difference in attitude on and off the pitch has been dramatic. One always got the impression that Eriksson viewed himself as a guest of the players, with him managing their team rather then them playing for his. McClaren - who had been immersed in the Eriksson set-up - had an overly-friendly relationship with the players, often referring to 'JT', 'Lamps', 'Stevie G' and 'Wazza' in press conferences. Celebrity culture prevailed with David Beckham dominating proceedings and the numerous WAGs looking to get themselves and their better halves on the front pages rather than the back. What was clear was that at no point was either manager in total control.

But immediately, Capello has made this his team and it's one he rules with an iron fist. The seed of doubt planted in the mind of every player now means there is no longer a guaranteed place for anyone putting in less than 100 percent. With each squad member referred to by his surname, the Italian has instilled a schoolmaster-like discipline into the set-up and perhaps taking advice from a former WWE superstar, he has told the players to 'know your role and shut your mouth'.

Cognisant of England's inability to control possession against the better technical sides, Capello has shown how to use the ball wisely when they do have it and where once it was launched wishfully forward, now it is directed with purpose. With each aware of the other's duty, the individuals have become a team and from this a united confidence derived from their manager.

Having won domestic and European titles in Italy and Spain, the players now feel they have someone they can genuinely respect and learn from but Capello can only really tell them what they and we should already know.

Maradona, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have any idea of how to organise his team and they have slipped to four abject defeats in their last six World Cup qualifiers. With numerous questions over his erratic team selection to answer, he hasn't been able to inspire those he has chosen, raising the issue of whether great players can ever be great managers. Having won it all as a player, can arguably the greatest footballer have the same passion to win as a manager?

Already in trouble during qualification, the appointment of a national hero with no management record at any level was a wild decision by the Argentinean FA. In search of divine inspiration, and given Maradona's celestial status in his homeland, they sought to ordain the father, the son and the holy spirit rolled into one. But it's becoming more evident that this was, if not some sort of daredevil PR stunt, more of a vehicle to aid the troubled star in purging his own personal demons.

Top-heavy with world class attackers, Argentina are distinctly lacking in midfield and defence. Captain Javier Macherano offers a lone protective presence in the centre while the ageing Gabriel Heinze and the aged Javier Zanetti are supported by an ever-changing cast of inexperienced defenders. But what does Maradona know about defending? Every inch of his now considerable being is devoted to the creation of goals, not the destruction of them. While he may be able to act as a supreme motivator to those who revere him as a God, if he can't arrange the basics then no amount of cheerleading can help his side.

His counterpart in last Saturday's defeat to Brazil was Dunga, who as a player knew exactly what needed to be taken care of behind him while those in front did the fancy work. While Kaka, Luis Fabiano and Robinho sliced the Argentine defence apart with brilliant ease, midfielders Felipe Melo and Gilberto Silva protected Lucio and Luisao at the back and frustrated Lionel Messi, upon whose shoulders Argentinean dreams weigh heavy.

It's just not within Maradona's thinking to account for what goes on in defence as he only knows what is needed in attack. The greatest players are less likely to make the best managers simply because they do things via instinct and emotion rather than organisation and clarity of thought. This is what separates a Capello from a Maradona.

For the first time in a long time, England will now genuinely consider themselves to be realistic contenders for the World Cup. While Brazil and Spain may be a class apart (both around [6.0] joint favourites to win 2010 tournament), a look towards Argentina, France (still available at [1.35] to even qualify for South Africa), Germany, Italy and Holland should leave little to be overly concerned about.

If anything it's about belief and that is what England - for so long burdened by ego and false expectation- have been gifted by Capello.

Tags: Argentina, Diego Maradona, England, Fabio Capello, World Cup football betting, World Cup Qualifying Betting