Soccer: FA bigwigs go all out to keep Capello out of Inter's clutches

Fabio Capello will have crucial talks with the Football Association today aimed at shoring up the England manager's future after a torrid two days in which he suggested he might walk away to join Internazionale after the World Cup finals.

The FA rapidly restructured its England organisation yesterday to appease Capello just hours before his England team beat Japan 2-1 in the last World Cup warm-up game before they go to South Africa on Thursday.

Sir Dave Richards, the chairman of the newly-formed Club England, will speak to Capello today to tell him the FA wants him to stay.

Capello's ambiguous statements over his future in light of the interest from Inter sent the FA into overdrive on Saturday night. By yesterday, it had fast-tracked the Club England organisation into existence to take care of all matters relating to the national team, with Richards named chairman and Adrian Bevington, managing director.

Richards will tell Capello today that he has the complete faith of the FA and not to entertain any interest shown in him from Inter. The FA will also encourage him to delete the break clause in his contract for this summer.

It had previously said the clause had been removed but amid events over the weekend it transpired that it still existed. Massimo Moratti, the president of Inter, used the fact that the clause had not been deleted as the green light to make an offer to Capello.

He told Sky Italia: "I am happy that a coach like Capello could sign for us after the World Cup."

Unfortunately for the FA, when Capello was asked about the issue he had to be prompted as to the name of Richards, the FA figure to whom he will now answer. Capello said: "I know everything. I'm happy. I will speak with the new chairman."

He added: "I told you I have not spoken with anyone at Inter Milan. I know nothing about this. My name is in the newspapers and on the radio, and they are an important team, but I can't say anything about this. You know speak with the new chairman."

Sources close to the England manager have suggested that he was tempted by the Inter job, just vacated by Jose Mourinho.

The creation of Club England is a sign of just how far the FA is prepared to go to keep Capello. It also means that the newly appointed FA chairman, Roger Burden, who comes from the amateur game, will not be granted any power over the England team by power brokers, such as Richards, the Premier League chairman, FA board member, and a major figure in English soccer.

Bevington is an FA stalwart with a decade at the sharp end dealing with the press. Also on the board is Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA director of soccer development, the new general secretary Alex Horne, and Michelle Farrer, head of England team operations.

- INDEPENDENT