ENGLAND's 2-1 victory over Switzerland in Fabio Capello's first game in charge drew a guarded response from English newspapers yesterday.
Most observers were generally positive towards the Italian, although it will clearly take time to win over the media after the team's dismal failure to qualify for Euro 2008 under Steve McClaren. Many of the back pages focused on Capello's decision
to leave Michael Owen on the bench throughout Wednesday's friendly.
'Owen stews in Capello's starter' read a headline on the back page of The Times above a story that said England had taken a first cautious step towards rehabilitation under Capello.
The Sun went further. 'No Sway Back for Owen' it proclaimed on its back page next to a photo of Capello swaying backwards with a stern expression on his face. The tabloid said Owen had been 'brutally ignored' as Capello gave England a taste of his 'iron fist'.
The Daily Mail said: 'You're too trembley at Wembley' on its back page, focusing on Capello's view England's players are too nervous when playing on home soil. 'Miracles Take a Little Longer' was the inside-page headline in the same paper. The report described the performance, particularly in the first half, 'as stuttering and lacking in urgency and fluency'.
The Daily Telegraph sports section's main headline was an underwhelming 'Hey...it's a win', while an analysis inside was headlined 'Capello's men dig deep to give England ray of hope'.
Reporter Henry Winter described England's showing as "a curate's egg of a display, with boos eventually replaced by cheers".
The Telegraph also questioned the futures of Owen and David Beckham, the latter not even making Capello's squad. 'Cold Capello keeps Owen and Beckham in limbo' it said.
The Daily Mirror described England's showing as a "no-frills win", while suggesting Capello would have his work cut out to make England a force again.
'Now Fabio Capello knows why he's earning six million pounds a year' said another headline, with a report suggesting there were periods of the game that looked worryingly like the 3-2 defeat by Croatia which ended McClaren's reign as coach.
There was an equally doubting reaction from the Daily Express who led their back page with the headline 'Shaun Comes to Capello Rescue', referring to Shaun Wright-Phillips' winning goal in the second half of what the paper described as a "stuttering start" for the new England coach.
'We Can Play a Lot Better' was captain Steven Gerrard's view in The Guardian, and by the time the World Cup qualifiers begin in September, England's squad must do so to spare Capello from a mauling by the press.
The full article contains 455 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
