Capello for England

Fabio Capello is on course to land the England manager's job.

The 61-year-old Italian has been enthusiastically endorsed as the right man to lead England by six of the eight top-line bosses consulted by FA chief executive Brian Barwick.

Capello has made it clear he wants to succeed Steve McClaren and that hunger for the job has impressed FA chiefs.

He has already decided he will recruit Gianfranco Zola as his assistant. He is also ready to offer former England star Alan Shearer a role on his back-room staff. He will also bring with him Italo Galbiati, a loyal lieutenant who has been with him throughout his career.

The FA are poised to formally open talks within the next fortnight to recruit a man who has an impeccable record as a club coach.

Ex-England coaches Terry Venables, Graham Taylor and Glenn Hoddle have nominated Capello as the man with the talent and track record to rejuventate the national side. There is support for Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill within the England hierarchy but the experts have gone for Capello ahead of Jose Mourinho.

It will be third time lucky for Capello if he does clinch the job.

A title-winning boss with AC Milan, Roma, Juventus and Real Madrid, he lost out to Sven Goran Eriksson in 2000.

He also threw his cap into the ring when the FA were searching for Eriksson's successor, but wasn't interviewed.