Fabio Capello Retires, Letting Down Italian Job

Former AC Milan, Real Madrid, Russia and England head coach Fabio Capello announced he has retired from management as he brushed aside speculation linking him with the Italy job.

The 71-year-old Italian was dismissed by Chinese Super League outfit Jiangsu Suning in March, and that spell looks to be the last of a trophy-laden coaching career spanning more than 30 years, Beinsports.com reported.

Capello won Serie A titles with both Milan and Roma either side of the turn of the century, adding the Champions League with the Rossoneri in 1994.

He also claimed La Liga glory in both of his single-season stints at the Santiago Bernabeu, although he is less fondly remembered by England fans following the team’s poor showing at the 2010 World Cup. From 2012-2015 Capello served as the manager of the Russia national team.

As Italy seek a permanent successor to Gian Piero Ventura - who paid the price for failing to guide the Azzurri through a World Cup qualifying play-off against Sweden last November - Capello rejected any notion of returning to the game as a manager.

“I have already said no [to talk of the Italy job],” Capello told Radio Rai. I’ve already had some experience with the English and Russian national teams. I wanted to try to train a club once again and Jiangsu was my last football experience. I did everything I wanted, I’m very happy with what I did, and now I am delighted to be a TV commentator. You always win in this role!”