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Capello should shoulder blame for Green gaffe

Robert Green had a horror moment in goal for England © Getty Images

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If looks could kill, Fabio Capello would not be available to coach the rest of England's World Cup campaign. Instead, he would be calling Coronation Street's Tony Gordon to plot his way out of Rustenburg penitentiary after being found guilty of the murder of Rob Green.

The England coach was positively seething on the touchlines at the sight of Green's howler on Saturday, after the goalkeeper's fairy soft hands allowed Clint Dempsey to 'fire' USA level. Ruining England's blazing start handed to them by Steven Gerrard's fourth-minute opener, Green did what we all knew he might: He accidentally chucked one in his own net.

Yet before Capello makes a scapegoat of the West Ham goalkeeper (later labelling the mistake the only regret in England's performance), he should accept that he is every bit as much to blame for what is undoubtedly the most embarrassing moment of the World Cup to date. It was Capello who picked Green and, much more importantly, it was Capello who sent him onto the field without the confidence of knowing that he was England's undisputed No. 1.

Think about one of those moments in life when you have been carrying a hot coffee, and somebody tells you 'be careful'. Or think of a moment when you're waiting to perform a hill-start in the car, and a back-seat passenger warns you not to let the car roll.

What happens? You spill the coffee and you stall the car.

In fairness to Rob Green, he is the only goalkeeper at the World Cup who went into the opening match of his tournament without the confidence of his manager. Capello's secrecy over the goalkeeping situation could only ever lead to one thing: Nerves.

Regardless of who got picked to play in goal against USA, Capello's refusal to name his undisputed No. 1 meant England's goalkeeper knew one mistake would end his tournament. There simply was no margin for error, which is exactly when errors begin to occur.

The debates over which England 'keeper is best are purely subjective. To the naked eye, it seemed even before the tournament began that Joe Hart is England's best, and Green is England's worst.

But there is simply no denying that Capello's dithering over his first team selection only encouraged anxiety - among players and supporters alike. Green will quite rightly receive the finger of blame, but England's manager should acknowledge his own role as accessory to the crime.

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