Capello: England job was good timing

Fabio Capello has admitted he might never have become England coach if it had not been for the Calciopoli scandal.

When Juventus were punished by the Italian football authorities and demoted to Serie B, Capello quit in favour of Real Madrid.

But he lasted only one season at the Bernabeu before leaving the Spanish giants, meaning he was a free agent when Steve McClaren was axed in the wake of England's failure to reach Euro 2008.

"Probably not," admitted Capello when asked whether he would have been leading the Three Lions to South Africa this summer had Juve avoided the turmoil that engulfed them.

"I wouldn't have gone to Madrid, wouldn't have gone six months without managing after leaving there and wouldn't have been free to join England either.

"It just shows anything negative can be seen as something positive."