Capello’s tired response to yet another listless performance by his England team

THE question was straightforward enough: “Fabio, why should the Football Association let you remain England manager for another year?”

The answer was unconvincing.

“It is a question for the chairman.

It is my job. I am trying to do everything the best I can.”

For £6m a year, “trying his best” is the least expected of Capello from his Football Association paymasters.

Twelve months on from that disastrous World Cup, too many problems remain stacked against the Italian.

The latest is set to be delivered by Peter Crouch, who is ready to call time on his 42-cap, 22-goal England career, having been totally overlooked by Capello for the 2-2 draw with Switzerland yesterday.

Including Jamie Carragher, it would be the sixth retirement since the World Cup, and a further damning indictment of Capello’s no-nonsense management style.

As Rio Ferdinand discovered, communication is not Capello’s strong point.

But England are hurting themselves.

There had always been a suspicion the 30-year-old would be omitted if Capello could justify it, but Crouch’s impressive goal return has made it impossible.

However, apparently third in a group of three strikers available for the Switzerland game and knowing Wayne Rooney, Andy Carroll and Jermain Defoe – all absent from Wembley – are ahead of him in the pecking order as well, it seems Crouch has thrown in the towel.

Should the news be confirmed, it will rob England of the 16th most prolific goalscorer in their history, a very popular member of their squad and someone who is usually fit.

Given Kevin Davies and Jay Bothroyd were two of the strikers used this season, Capello is hardly blessed with top-quality front-men and the loss of Crouch would be a further handicap.

“No matter what people think about individuals, it is about playing for your country,”

argued the FA’s director of football, Sir Trevor Brooking.

“You turn up regardless. I would have turned up if I was number 23 in the squad.

“There are great rewards out there. You can become a multimillionaire without playing international football.

“But international football is about individual pride and wanting to perform at the highest level.

“If I got picked at 41, I would have played, even if I thought I would make a fool of myself.”

But Crouch belongs to a different generation, that has egos in need of massaging, and England look like paying the price for Capello’s refusal to act as masseur.

Not that Capello will be around for much longer. A single season, maybe less than that if England contrive to throw away top spot in Group G which is still theirs on goal difference after Montenegro’s failure to take advantage by being held at home by Bulgaria on Saturday.

A motivational problem ahead perhaps, as Sir Alex Ferguson encountered at Manchester United before performing his retirement U-turn?

“No,” responded Capello. “Absolutely not. You can tell by the players’ reaction.”

Capello was meaning their reaction to falling two goals behind to the Swiss, thanks to a couple of Joe Hart errors.

The latter of two Tranquillo Barnetta free-kicks also involved a high degree of involvement from James Milner, who broke out of a two-man wall before the ball had even reached him, creating the gap Hart’s woeful feet-first attempt to close proved inadequate.

However, Capello’s own response, once Frank Lampard had pulled one back from the spot, merely highlighted the folly of leaving Ashley Young on the bench.

Introduced as Lampard’s replacement at half-time, the Aston Villa man levelled, then helped create the chance Darren Bent should have buried to give England victory.

Instead, it meant a fourth home game without a win for the first time since 1981 and not until the news from Podgorica, where England head on October 7 to almost certainly determine the group winners, came through a couple of hours later was a positive gloss added to their day.

Before that, answers were demanded.

Not just of Capello’s future, but of the tiredness so obvious in his players and which was also evident at the World Cup 12 months ago, when temperatures were way below the 29 degree average currently being experienced in the capitals of both Poland and Ukraine, where next summer’s European Championships will be held.

“I am not happy,” accepted Capello.

“We will try to find a solution but do you know the medicine?

“It is not the quality that is lacking.

“We have quality, the problem is the energy.”