Barwick: England will be Fab

12 April 2012

Brian Barwick is confident Fabio Capello will lead England to success over the next few years.

It was confirmed on Wednesday the Football Association chief executive will leave his post on December 31 following a disagreement with chairman Lord Triesman over the precise nature of his job.

And the departing Barwick said: "I'm convinced that in Fabio Capello, the England team has the right manager and a genuine chance of success."

Barwick does have a host of credits to his name, although he was also responsible for the farce that accompanied the announcement of Sven-Goran Eriksson's successor and the botched attempt to hire Luiz Felipe Scolari.

After the eras of Mark Palios, Adam Crozier and Graham Kelly, Barwick will at least leave the FA free of any stigma of controversy.

He may also point to his strong record, which includes building Wembley and gaining agreement for the National Football Centre in Burton, as well as the record TV deals he negotiated, as proof his departure is to the detriment of the organisation.

Barwick did not chair the weekly management board meeting on Tuesday. He then pulled out of the presentation party for England's 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic on Wednesday night with no explanation offered.

"I am sad to be leaving the FA - an organisation it has been a privilege to lead - but I believe it is in the best interests of all parties," said Barwick in a statement. "I have always endeavoured to do my job with passion, decency and integrity, and I believe I am leaving a strong legacy for the future.

"We have achieved a lot over the past three and a half years: opening the new Wembley Stadium, implementing the structural review and increasing our broadcast and commercial contracts to record income levels."

"The organisation is in better financial health than ever before, and I am also delighted to have seen the recent launch of the Respect programme, which is very important to me. I would like to pay tribute to the FA board for their strong support, and especially thank my colleagues at the FA for their tremendous efforts during my tenure."

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