We need Englishman to replace Capello, insists Ferdinand as Redknapp calls grow

Capello resigned on Wednesday night following a disagreement with the Football Association board over the decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy while he awaits trial, charged with racially abusing Anton Ferdinand – Rio’s brother – during a Premier League match in October. Terry denies the charge.

Rio Ferdinand, who has already ruled himself out of the running to succeed Terry as captain, wrote on Twitter that the national team “don’t need anything else lost in translation” – an apparent dig at Italian Capello, whose poor command of the English language saw him face criticism during his four years in charge.

Ferdinand wrote: “I think we need an English manager now, we don’t need anything else lost in translation....Harry Redknapp would be my choice by a distance.”

Tottenham boss Redknapp has emerged as the favourite to succeed Capello and was cleared of tax evasion charges earlier in the day on Wednesday.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is another name linked to the England job, or to taking the reins at Spurs if Redknapp becomes national boss.

Pardew believes Redknapp is the obvious candidate for the role and sees his own future on Tyneside.

“Firstly as an Englishman, I am proud to be in that sort of frame, but it’s not for me and I will make that quite clear. I am not even in the running as far as I am concerned,” he said.

“I am quite happy where I am. I want to stay here and see this job through. I really, really hope that Harry and Spurs and everybody sorts themselves out and can do it in a manner in which it works for everybody.”

Former England manager Graham Taylor believes Redknapp is “made for the job” of leading the national team.

Taylor, who succeeded Bobby Robson as England manager after the 1990 World Cup but failed to steer the team to a place in the 1994 tournament, claims 64-year-old Redknapp has the ideal qualities for the position, and is at the right stage in his career.

The job has become available four months out from the Euro 2012 finals and while Redknapp is involved in a Premier League title battle as manager of Tottenham.

Taylor said: “I just think that taking the England job is far better when you’re coming towards the end of your career than when you’re a young man. I think Harry is in many respects made for the job.”

Taylor is struggling to see beyond Redknapp when it comes to likely candidates for the job.

“The public want him, the players want him, sections of the media want him, so that’s how it looks at the moment,” Taylor said.

Speaking during a visit to Sweden, Prime Minister David Cameron said: “I am sorry to see Fabio go. I think he was a good coach and a good man. I don’t think he was right about the John Terry issue.

“You can’t be captain with that question mark that needs to be answered.’’

Sports minister Hugh Robertson praised the FA’s handling of the situation.

Robertson said: “I don’t think the FA could have the England manager in conflict with them over such an important principle going into the European Championships.

“The moment Capello went on Italian TV and openly criticised them then there was no going back – either the FA had to get him to retract what he had said or he had to go. The FA have acted decisively and with enormous integrity. If they had simply tried to sweep this under the carpet they would have been attacked for being weak.”

Robertson had special praise for FA chairman David Bernstein, who went over Capello’s head to remove the captaincy from Terry until the outcome of his trial where he will deny racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand.

“I do think the FA have handled it well and David Bernstein is a class act,” added Robertson.