The immediate criticism was tiresomely predictable.

"It's a sad indictment on English football that we've got to go to Europe for a manager - we've got enough managers in England who could do just as good a job," was how Paul Ince reacted to the imminent appointment of Fabio Capello.

So spoke the manager of the MK Dons. From League Two.

As a man who wore the Three Lions 53 times, Ince speaks with some authority. That doesn't make him right, though.

Who are these English gaffers whose record stands up to the Italian they call the Iron Sergeant? Err, is there anybody out there Oh yes, we've got Harry Redknapp, who's done well at a few clubs without actually winning any trophies; and is currently on bail pending a police case investigating football corruption.

Then there's Sam Allardyce, who told all and sundry that he should have got the nod ahead of Steve McClaren. But isn't he getting it in the neck at the moment from Newcastle fans after his stodgy start at St James'?

That leaves Martin O'Neill (yes, I know he's not English but near enough), who says he doesn't want it and has shown throughout his career that he never breaks a contract.

The rest? Stuart Pearce is under-21 manager but hardly pulled up trees dealing with the senior boys at Manchester City; Alan Shearer, who turned down any coaching post at Newcastle to take up "meet and greet" duties; and Ince himself, who is leading the way in the old Division Four.

Hardly a galactico of top-notch candidates is it?

Talking of galacticos, Capello broke up their little cartel at Real Madrid and still won the Spanish title last season.

But he's got a history of doing that after winning championships with Juventus, Roma and AC Milan. Not to mention the Champions' League in 1994 when Milan turned in the most clinical club performance I can ever remember watching and nailed pre-match favourites Barcelona 4-0.

Capello's critics in Italy claim there is no human side to his personality; many a precious footballing ego has been trampled by his no-nonsense boots.

Is that such a bad thing? We've already seen how far the media training of McClaren got him; all false smiles, expressions practised in the mirror dripping with insincerity.

Give me a bloke in charge who scares the wotsits off his players and doesn't give a stuff for pampered reputations. Sounds a bit like some fella called Ferguson - and he hasn't done too badly down the years.

Capello is the guy who asked Ronaldo if he was ashamed at being so fat and flogged him a month later. Alessandro del Piero, who found himself banished from the Juventus side, called Capello's reign the "era of terror".

He has the air of a henchman out of Goodfellas - and there are a few coseted individuals in the England ranks who will be feeling very afraid.

Capello does not sound the type who will talk gushingly, as McClaren used to, about JT, Stevie G and Becks as if they were all dearest pals and he was so lucky to have them.

Hopefully the line will be re-established between manager and players; something that has become increasingly blurred since Sven created his team of untouchables/undroppables.

Let's give the FA some credit here. It seems we were all duped by Jose Mourinho, this column included, but the powers-that-be have still pulled out an appointment from the very top drawer.

A guy who is not swayed by reputation or influenced by media fashion like his woeful predecessor.

It's not just in football that this country has become obsessed with the cult of celebrity and fake glamour.

Let's hear no more guff about golden generations. This is not "the best national side since 1966"; Croatia, Russia and even Macedonia buried that myth.

We need to break the mould to start again and see the England team for what it really is, not what we've been told to believe, and the only way to do that is by bringing in an outsider.

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