LONDON: Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson are backing Italian Fabio Capello to take over the vacant job of England manager.

"The quality of the candidate is outstanding," Arsenal manager Wenger told reporters on Tuesday.

"I know Fabio for a long time. He is a strong man and a strong character. He has a clear idea of what he wants and when he is convinced of something he goes to the end of it.

"He is a strong winner and is a guy who is convinced of the methods that he uses," added the Frenchman.

"I believe a manager is strong when he swims against the stream. I feel he can do that and that is quite a needed quality in this country."

Former Real Madrid, AC Milan and Juventus coach Capello has emerged as the clear favorite to take over from the sacked Steve McClaren after Portugal's Jose Mourinho ruled himself out on Monday.

Manchester United manager Ferguson said Capello ticked all the right boxes for the post.

"A national team manager has to be of a certain age, have plenty of experience, a presence and a CV that's indisputable and Capello has all that," Ferguson said in Rome ahead of Wednesday's Champions League match at AS Roma.

"I think it's very difficult for young managers of a country because when you are young you want to work every day with your players.

"When you have completed your career as a manager and you have achieved things, you don't."

Other leading candidates for the job are Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning manager Marcello Lippi and Aston Villa's Martin O'Neill.

McClaren, who took over from Sven-Goran Eriksson last year, was dismissed after England failed to qualify for the 2008 European championship finals.

Special opportunity

British media reported that Football Association (FA) officials were set to interview Capello soon, and Sky Sports News quoted Capello's son Pierfilippo as saying his father was ready for talks.

"The England job is really special," Capello's son said. "When the FA wants to speak to you, you have to listen. No contact has been made yet but we are waiting."

FA chief executive Brian Barwick told reporters as he arrived for work at the Soho Square headquarters that it was "just a normal day at the office".

Capello, 61, has won nine league titles in 16 years and has picked up silverware with all four clubs he has managed. Wenger had no doubts he could handle the pressures of being the next England manager.

"The only problem I think he could have is with the language - I don't know how good his English is because I don't speak in English with him," he said. "I know it is not his best and his second best language is Spanish.

"A big part of the job is to deal with the media - maybe a massive part because the technical part you do not have to worry about him.

"But I believe he can deal with the media pressure as he's done that before at the big clubs."

Agencies

(China Daily 12/13/2007 page24)