The English FA and Fabio Capello are not an anomaly

As usual, leave it to Rob Hughes to eloquently educated and enlighten soccer and sports fans alike.

I've taken the position that it's quite open minded of England to consider their options abroad. People need to let go of this "inventors" of the game mindset. It turns their brains to nationalist mud. Soccer belongs to the world now. Move on.

Canadians fall prey to such drivel too when it comes to hockey. Every time we lost or fell behind we'd comfort ourselves that we invented hockey. That we did. But hockey too, like soccer, is a sport that has been embraced elsewhere. It no longer belongs to one place.

Italy indeed did have a foreign coach or two once upon a time. Once long ago Swedes, Hungarians, Czechoslovakians and Austrians were among the best and brightest soccer had to offer. It's natural teams sought the services of coaches from the countries.

The famous Argentine coach Hererra - who skipped the dominant Internazionale Milano in the 1960s - in particular had a lasting impact on Italian soccer. Recall, it was by way of Helenio Herrera Italians became the masters of defensive soccer using a dead-bolt system known as catenaccio.

In this light, there is no shame in England's decision. It's in the context to which it was arrived that concerns people. The problem is that the English themselves can't seem to get their act together. The FA is about as competent as the Toronto Maple Leafs ownership group. For his part, Capello's task is not only at the club level but at a cultural level as well. The disastrous English system needs an overhaul. A clear and committed plan is necessary. That probably entails Capello revolutionizing the mentality. If there's one proven winner who can do it it is Capello.

If Wenger, Fergurson, Mourinho and Benitez - all foreigners - could revolutionize English soccer at the club level, why shouldn't Capello succeed at the national level?

No one cared that Zico coached in Japan. Hiddink in South Korea, Australia and Russia and so on. Suddenly, high profile England even has Sepp Blatter commenting and spewing inaccuracies like a bad Hollywood movie.

Hughes lays it out splendidly.