Support grows for Capello

Fabio Capello looks set to survive as England head coach after a groundswell of support among the Football Association hierarchy.

Sir Dave Richards, the Premier League chairman who also heads the new 'Club England', is now being urged to recommend to the FA board the Italian is kept on despite England's World Cup failure.

It is understood Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA's director of football development and a key figure in the process, wants Capello kept on for the rest of his contract until 2012.

Brooking's view is that replacing him with another manager will not solve the underlying problem with English football, and a number of FA board and international committee members are also of the same opinion.

At the FA's post mortem of the World Cup fiasco, Brooking will argue for a properly–funded long–term master plan to bring through young players, starting by increasing the number of coaches at youth level.

Richard Caborn, the former sports minister, said: "We have to get to the root of the problem.

"English football and the Premier League have to come together to develop young English players.

"Fabio Capello is one of the best coaches in the world and if the FA replace him then it is just papering over the cracks and the same problem will come up again."