Carragher: Going foreign is wrong

Jamie Carragher
12 April 2012

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes England are "cheating" by employing a foreign manager to run the national team.

Current boss Fabio Capello is overseeing England's final preparations ahead of Friday's vital Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro.

The Italian persuaded Carragher to return to the international scene at last year's disastrous World Cup in South Africa, and while the 33-year-old insists his criticism is not aimed at Capello he maintains having a foreign coach is "embarrassing". He told talkSPORT: "The next manager of England should be English."

Carragher added: "I've got nothing against Capello, I went to the World Cup and got to know him, but that's not what international football is. It's like saying if our keeper's not good enough, we'll go and get (Gianluigi) Buffon from Italy.

"It's a form of cheating in international football and it's a bit embarrassing.

"It's different for developing countries in Africa and elsewhere, who are trying to build the game up but, for England, such a big football nation, I don't think we should have a foreign manager.

"Just because it didn't work out with Steve McClaren, it didn't mean we had to go for a foreign manager. We should have gone for the next best Englishman."

The 33-year-old also believes the lack of opportunities English managers get at top Premier League clubs is a contributory factor.

He added: "If every club had an English manager, someone would have to win the league! Someone would have to win the FA Cup! And then they'd accumulate these trophies. Capello had an aura and presence that maybe McClaren didn't have.

"And it was the same with the likes of Benitez and Houllier at Liverpool, and Mourinho at Chelsea. With their CVs, they've all got something about them and have won big trophies. So does that mean English managers need to go abroad?"

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