Now that Jose Mourinho has turned down the English FA for the still vacant England job, who is the next best candidate who can stern the ship and lead England to World Cup? According to the FA and their often erratic decisions, the leading contender for the “most difficult job in football” is Fabio Capello.

Immediate to the sacking of Steve McClaren as the head coach of England after he failed to steer England to the Euro 2008 finals, the former Juventus and Real Madrid manager declared that he would be interested in the England job and went as far as to suggest that it would be the crowing moment of a scintillating career to coach England.

But the man doesn’t know English and his methods are clinical, based on efficiency, hard work, sweat and blood with no room for entertainment or aestheticism at all. Just ask the Bernabeu faithful who have had a hard time last season not reaching into their pockets for the white hankies after every single game except to those in the tail end of the season.

Just as Luiz Felipe Scolari was the FA’s first choice after Sven-Goran Eriksson’s departure after the 2006 Germany World Cup and couldn’t be persuaded to accept the offer, Jose Mourinho too was the best option this time around and he too has backed out. The former FC Porto and Chelsea manager had of course at first stated that he is keen on getting the job and there were come-and-get-me plea articles all around. Mourinho’s U-turn on his decision has much to do with the fact that he is tipped to replace Carlo Ancelotti at AC Milan at the end of the season.

This is how a Jose Mourinho statement released on his decision reads:

After Steve McClaren left the England football team, my representatives maintained contact with the FA. In that sense, I had myself useful discussions with Brian Barwick and Trevor Brooking where we exchanged ideas to evaluate the entire situation about the England squad and set the goals in case of real invitation being addressed to me.

After deep and serious thinking, I decided to exclude myself from being England manager despite it being a fantastic position for me. I’m sure the FA will hire a great manager, one able to place the team back where it belongs.

FA chief Brain Barwick is supposed to meet Capello later this week and might just hope to hear a yes this time. And if press reports are to be believed, then he will almost certainly hear a yes. But would the England supporters like to hear a yes? Would England embrace Capello and his Capelloism?