Capello says, "Get back in the game!"

Thanks to modern technology and the invention of the internet, Andrei Arshavin was able to successfully leak Fabio Capello's appointment as head coach of Russia's National Football Team. What's brilliant, though, is how he did it. Arshavin reposted a fan's question from five years ago asking him who his favorite coach was, to which he obviously replied "Fabio Capello". Right above the q&a, he wrote:

Fabio Capello has been appointed as the new head coach of the Russian national team.

We wish him success in his new position.

So now we know Capello isn't signing the contract next week - he already did. Interestingly enough, Capello's alleged assistants won't be from England. 39-year-old Dmitri Alenichev recently began coaching FC Arsenal Tula, a fourth division (amateur league) team. During his playing career, Alenichev played for AS Roma and Perugia. The other aide, 43-year-old Igor Shalimov, coached the Russia Women's National Team, and had brief managerial stints at two clubs. Shalimov is familiar with all things Italian; as a player, he enjoyed a career at Inter, Udinese, and Napoli, to name a few. With deadlines on the horizon (the RFU still need to elect a president and finish preparations for the London Olympics, let alone select an NT for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers), it's no wonder all signs point to the appointment of the Italian specialist. Capello apparently agreed to live in Russia during his stay as manager, and to be actively involved in the development of footie in Russia. This includes communicating with RPL managers. Capello should have no trouble there, as he has a fellow Italian, Zenit's Luciano Spalletti, by his side. I recently discovered that if you Google the latter, the first thing that comes up is "Luciano Spalletti legendary 4-6-0 formation", which goes to show just how much authority he has in the world of football. Incidentally, another Italian by the name of Roberto Mancini was previously rumored as a candidate (though omitted from the RFU's official list). Maybe it's time to put Capello's past with England where it belongs - in the past. He has only managed one National Team, and we all know England has been infamous for failing at large-scale tournaments long before Capello's appointment. With a resume that includes successful spells at AC Milan and Real Madrid, and an attitude to get things done and ignore pesky criticism, there's no doubt he's a worthy coach for the job. Even though Capello, like any coach, has a set way of doing things, he's a professional chameleon and can easily adapt to any environment. He knows that every team is a different kind of animal. At the end of the day, though, his priorities are those of a determined and relentless human being. As he said in his interview for FFT, "the most important thing is results. That is not a philosophy, it's a fact."

There's something about Russia and Italians, and maybe that something includes a ticket to the semi-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.