Capello should cut back on English lessons, says Hoddle

Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello conducted his first press conference as England manager in Italian, flanked by an interpretor and a confident Brian Barwick. Photograph by Alastair Grant / AP. Alastair Grant /AP

Glenn Hoddle believes that Fabio Capello, the new England manager, should postpone his plans to hold his next press conference in English and concentrate on learning only "football terminology" to ensure that he remains "detached" from the media.

The former England manager, who also stressed his wish to see Capello introduce a formation and system that would liberate the players, said he would advise the 61-year-old to cut back on his English language lessons and keep speaking in Italian in public.

"If Capello said to me, 'Glenn, I'd like to have a chat with you, you have been England manager', one of the things I would say to him is don't learn English too well," said Hoddle.

"Learn all your football terminology but keep using an interpreter for as long as you can. Make it easy on yourself. Learn football language and the rest you don't want to know so that you don't understand it. You would be forced to be detached if you don't understand it."

Capello is known to like a 4-4-2 formation but Hoddle believes he will need to change the English interpretation of that system. "I'm really interested, as a coach, to see what he does because my belief is that we will never win anything playing 4-4-2 the English way," he said. "If he doesn't change the shape he has got to change the way we play, in my opinion.

"If not we are just going to have the same old story. Our problem with 4-4-2 and the way we play it is that we will always struggle against the top sides. We will beat certain teams but we won't be consistent. That is where Capello is going to have his work cut out. I'm hoping that he is the right man and that he can get them playing with much more movement."

Hoddle also believes it is vital that there is an English influence among the coaching staff. "I think Capello will need an English manager just as much as we need someone to be groomed for the job or someone who can pick the brains of Capello, stay on when he leaves and then hand it on to the next manager," he said. "That person could have a job for 12 years and be there for five tournaments."