Real Madrid sack Capello

[Lineker]

Real Madrid have sacked coach Fabio Capello, 11 days after he led the Spanish giants to their first league title since 2003.

The 61-year-old still had two years to run on his contract at the Bernabeu but was criticised for his tactics.

Capello also won the Primera Liga title with Real in 1996-97 during his first spell at the club.

More to follow.

Anyone else think that Wenger will go? I know he has a thing for honouring contracts, but with the current situation at Arsenal...

EDIT: Full story...

Real Madrid have sacked coach Fabio Capello - just 11 days after the Italian led the Spanish giants to their first league title since 2003.

The 61-year-old still had two years to run on his contract at the Bernabeu, but drew criticism for his tactics.

Real president Ramon Calderon told Marca newspaper: "We've laid the foundations, but we need to find a more enthusiastic way of playing."

Getafe's German coach Bernd Schuster is tipped to succeed Capello.

Capello, who joined Real last summer from Juventus on a three-year contract, had also guided Real to the Spanish title during his one previous season in charge in 1996-97.

It was a difficult decision but a unanimous one

Real's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic

Calderon brought Capello to the Bernabeu last July and charged him with the task of reining in the players and clearing out dead wood on the playing staff.

Spanish pundits believe Capello paid a price for his treatment of England's David Beckham.

After Beckham confirmed he was joining LA Galaxy at the end of the season, Capello publicly declared he would never consider Beckham for the first team again.

Capello was forced to back-track on that, and it was Beckham's form which inspired Real to the title.

Capello's dismissal underlined that Real show little sentiment when it comes to firing successful managers.

Real's last Spanish title victory in 2003 was not enough to keep Vicente del Bosque in the job, while German Jupp Heynckes was sacked after guiding Real to the Champions League title in 1998.

Real's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic said: "We have taken the decision not to continue with Fabio Capello next season.

"It was a difficult decision but a unanimous one based on an exhaustive report I made to the board.

"We don't think Capello is the right person to lead Real Madrid into the future given what we want this club to achieve.

"Now we have time to think over who will be the next head coach."

Capello, who previously managed AC Milan and AS Roma in addition to Real and Juventus, maintained his record of winning a league title with every club he has managed.

Edited June 28, 2007 by Kubica

[9 to 5]

If a manager who wins the title and does reasonably well in CL gets sacked, why on earth would anyone bother going there aside for the money?

[Thomas]

Elsewhere on the manager front, apparently Chris Coleman to Real Sociedad!

[IAceI]

I'm 99% sure Bernd Schuster will take over after leaving Getafe. It's weird seeing Coleman in the second tier of Spanish Football, but Toshack apparently recommended him highly. And Toshack's word is law in Sociedad.

[TheArsenal]

I'm 99% sure Bernd Schuster will take over after leaving Getafe. It's weird seeing Coleman in the second tier of Spanish Football, but Toshack apparently recommended him highly. And Toshack's word is law in Sociedad.

[therockbox]

Why anyone would want to manage at that circus is beyond me.

[figos]

Because it is still the greatest team in the World?

[therockbox]

Haha, fuck off it is.

[9 to 5]

Because it is still the greatest team in the World?

lol

[Liam]

Depends what he means by greatest....obviously not the best anymore, but its hard to find a team with a greater history, when it comes to winning leagues, cups and the like.

[IAceI]

Decorated may be a better word to use, they have the trophies. Off players and ability, do they fuck.

[Liam]

But its generally stuff like that which determines which clubs are considered 'great', and Real Madrid have it in spades.

Its the legacy and pomp of managing at Real Madrid, as well as the money, that will lead people to take up the job.

[therockbox]

Which is a shame, because it just means the idiots that run the club can continue to sack managers even after they've done well. I don't see why a manager would open himself up to that.

[Liam]

Its an ongoing thing with a lot of the big Spanish and Italian clubs, which I've never understood. Admittedly, the big Italian clubs usually only sack managers when they are losing, but losing your first 4 games and then getting the boot is just as retarded.

[IAceI]

Basically they want to see wins, flair and trophies. If one of them is missing they deem it good enough grounds to remove a manager whenever they see fit. It's stupid, but then again a lot of these clubs probably have more of an eye on revenue and gate receipts etc., moreso than an English club would.

If the team doesn't win matches and trophies, and put on a good show, less people are likely to come and they're not making as much money as they like.

It's kind of an American way as well, it's a lot cheaper to get a manager who fits their vision than it is to get several players etc. who fit their vision.

[therockbox]

But even less people are going to come and watch you if you're not winning, regardless of how well you play. And to think a manager can come in, and make a team play 'sexy football' as well as win trophies after just one season is ridiculous, it took Wenger years to get Arsenal doing both consistently, same with Ferguson and Mourinho's yet to do it.

Whoever they bring in, even Wenger, won't get them doing all three at the click of a finger.

[IAceI]

But even less people are going to come and watch you if you're not winning, regardless of how well you play.

[fineintent]

Real Madrid need to work out whether they want a group of stars who score loads of goals, but concede a shitload and come up second to Barcelona or whether they want a team who are drilled, organised and will actually win things. They were hardly dull over the last 6 months, Calderon needs to sort his priorities out.

[ONO]

The guys behind at Real Madrid are pathetic. They cry for La Liga for years, when they win it its not good enough.

[mikevandam]

i wonder who will replace Schuster at Getafe ?