Fabio Capello says he was really close to taking the United job in 2002

[Tom Van Persie]

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/feature...n-utd-manager-alex-ferguson-2002-england-roma

Fabio Capello has told FourFourTwo that he almost came to English football five years before landing the national job - by replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.


Speaking in the Euro 2020 special double issue of the magazine, on sale now, Capello explained how he was on the shortlist to replace the outgoing Fergie, who had decided to retire at the end of the 2001/02 season. Eventually, the Scot changed his mind and stayed on at Old Trafford until 2013 - meaning Capello went down a very different path himself.

“It was really close – that is the truth,” Capello said. “I can’t deny that I would have loved to train Manchester United.”

“After winning Serie A with Roma in 2001, I spoke to representatives who came to visit me in Rome, but we couldn’t sign anything because Sir Alex decided not to retire in the end! He phoned me a few days later to apologise, because his wife was trying to convince him to leave, but it was a friendly conversation and I told him that nothing was wrong.”


Capello instead stayed on at Roma for another two years before joining Juventus for two more years after that. When the Calciopoli scandal of 2006 hit Italian football, Capello left the Old Lady - who were forcably relegated - joining Real Madrid, where he teamed with England captain David Beckham.


While working with Beckham, however, the Italian reportedly had his differences with Beckham. At one point, it was suggested that Capello had insisted that the midfielder never play for the club again, before changing his mind. Beckham became an integral part of the La Liga-winning side of that season but Capello still ended up losing his job, with Beckham refusing to extend his contract, in favour of a deal in the MLS at LA Galaxy.


“In February 2007, the team suffered a negative streak of results, we’d fallen too far behind Barça in the league and had a difficult match in San Sebastian against Real Sociedad. I decided that the time was right to lift Beckham’s punishment.

A month earlier, he’d announced that he wasn’t going to be renewing his contract with Real Madrid and that he was moving to America to join LA Galaxy, so I made the decision not to play him again. But the truth is that he still trained like a great professional and always had strong support from his team-mates, so that was it. That was why he returned to the side and carried on playing.”

 

[Oranges038]

I heard Arsene nearly signed him too when Pat Rice retired, but he missed out and had to sign Steve Bould instead.

 

[Tiber]

I thought Fergie said it was going to Sven in his book?

Maybe it was written somewhere else

 

[Tom Van Persie]

I heard Arsene nearly signed him too when Pat Rice retired, but he missed out and had to sign Steve Bould instead.

 

[clarkydaz]

I thought Fergie said it was going to Sven in his book?

Maybe it was written somewhere else

that was the main name banded about. He asked Scholes whats so good about Sven, and Scholes had no answer

 

[Tom Van Persie]

I thought Fergie said it was going to Sven in his book?

Maybe it was written somewhere else

Sven said in his book that he actually signed the contract. Sounds like the shortlist was Sven, LvG, Martin O'Neil and Capello. Martin Edwards said that Wenger turned it down.

EDIT: David O'Leary and Curbishley were also mentioned as possible replacements.

 

[Dominos]

Sven said in his book that he actually signed the contract. Sounds like the shortlist was Sven, LvG, Martin O'Neil and Capello. Martin Edwards said that Wenger turned it down.

You can Hitzfeld to the list of managers who claimed to turn down the job.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/foo...eld-REJECTED-chance-to-manage-Man-Utd-in-2002"

The talk in 2011 about how United needed a British manager because of tradition is even more bizarre considering we were looking to foreign coaches all the way back in 2002.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Sven said in his book that he actually signed the contract. Sounds like the shortlist was Sven, LvG, Martin O'Neil and Capello. Martin Edwards said that Wenger turned it down.

EDIT: David O'Leary and Curbishley were also mentioned as possible replacements.

feck me! The last 2.... bizarre

 

[acnumber9]

Sven said in his book that he actually signed the contract. Sounds like the shortlist was Sven, LvG, Martin O'Neil and Capello. Martin Edwards said that Wenger turned it down.

EDIT: David O'Leary and Curbishley were also mentioned as possible replacements.

When you look at that you realise how lucky we were that he stayed. Imagine Alan Curbishley managing Man United. The Moyes of his day.

 

[Tiber]

I wonder how Sven would have done at United. I always think of him as a bit of a comedic sideshow (the first billionaire City manager, Notts County etc) but apparently his Lazio side were the real deal.

 

[golden_blunder]

I wonder how Sven would have done at United. I always think of him as a bit of a comedic sideshow (the first billionaire City manager, Notts County etc) but apparently his Lazio side were the real deal.

He’s still dining out on that lazio team!

 

[Reditus]

Alan Curbishly... now that's a name i havent heard in a long time

 

[FootballHQ]

I wonder how Sven would have done at United. I always think of him as a bit of a comedic sideshow (the first billionaire City manager, Notts County etc) but apparently his Lazio side were the real deal.

They won Serie A in 2000 although underachieved a bit in europe. Lots of quality throughout the team.

Think it would've gone the same as his England spell, many games won on individual quality but no great strategy to the style of play. Veron probably would've been better as was great at Lazio generally.

 

[izec]

Glad Postman Pat never managed us

 

[United442b]

Sven said in his book that he actually signed the contract. Sounds like the shortlist was Sven, LvG, Martin O'Neil and Capello. Martin Edwards said that Wenger turned it down.

EDIT: David O'Leary and Curbishley were also mentioned as possible replacements.

It actually frightening how bad that list is.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Only positive would have been Beckham staying for longer but probably would have signed Cristiano.

 

[Tiber]

It actually frightening how bad that list is.

LVG might have been a great hire at the time

 

[Skills]

LVG might have been a great hire at the time

So would've Capello. He's one of the greatest managers of all time

 

[Ferguson’s Hairdryer]

feck me! The last 2.... bizarre

I think Marcello Lippi would have also been on the at around that time. He was very close to SAF, and also had a fondness for United.

O’Leary actually did a great job at Leeds, very underrated it’s only when they sacked him that that they realised how good he was, so if the top 3/4 were unavailable then I could see him being in the B list of choices, similar to how Moyes got it.

 

[Hoof the ball]

Ah, Sven. Always thought he looked like he belonged on the council of pure-blood aristocratic vampires in Blade.

 

[yumtum]

When you look at that you realise how lucky we were that he stayed. Imagine Alan Curbishley managing Man United. The Moyes of his day.

Just need to add Phil Brown to that managerial list to make it complete.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

LVG might have been a great hire at the time

He should be added to the list of potential successors back in 2002. Going by his comments, he's also one of the managers who, after speaking with SAF, thought they were very close to landing the job.

 

[matsdf]

After hearing what Ben Foster had to say about Capello I'm certainly glad he did'nt end up here.

 

[JSArsenal]

Wait what happened between Capello and Beckham at Madrid?

 

[GueRed]

Hmm so Sven AND Capello were the front runners...

I wanted Wenger or Hitzfeld at the time.

I also remember Martin O'Neill being a big favourite with alot of fans.

 

[Foxbatt]

I think the main reason why SAF didn't retire was that Sven was the candidate for United. SAF got so scared of what may happen he decided not to retire. I am sure I read about it somewhere.
He would have made Beckham the Captain and put him in midfield and Keano probably would have thrown Sven off the stadium.

 

[NinjaZombie]

Sven must be the most overrated manager around. I remember being underwhelmed when he was the supposed front runner when Fergie was supposed to retire in 2002. Glad we got the best possible option that time, which was Alex Ferguson continuing to manage the club.

Looking back, it was madness that Fergie could've retired just 3 years after winning the treble.

 

[united_99]

Sven must be the most overrated manager around. I remember being underwhelmed when he was the supposed front runner when Fergie was supposed to retire in 2002. Glad we got the best possible option that time, which was Alex Ferguson continuing to manage the club.

Looking back, it was madness that Fergie could've retired just 3 years after winning the treble.

We would have never overtaken Liverpool if he had retired in 2002, especially with Chelsea and City investments which followed.
Madness that a manager who was close to retirement won 6 more league titles after he decided to stay!