Managers' debuts
Wednesday, 06 February, 2008
The last six England managers began life with The Three Lions on a victorious note - will it be a lucky seven?
England v Switzerland
International Friendly
8pm, Wednesday 6 February 2008
Wembley Stadium
Fabio Capello, England's 12th permanent manager, takes charge for the first time against the Swiss on Wednesday.
The last six managers all started with a win...
Steve McClaren: England beat Greece 4-0 in an Old Trafford friendly in 2006
Sven-Goran Eriksson: England beat Spain 3-0 in a Villa Park friendly in 2001
Kevin Keegan: England beat Poland 3-1 in a European Championship qualifier at Wembley in 1999
Glenn Hoddle: England beat Moldova 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Chisinau in 1996
Terry Venables: England beat Denmark 1-0 in a Wembley friendly in 1994
Graham Taylor: England beat Hungary 1-0 in a Wembley friendly in 1990
Before that…
Sir Bobby Robson started with a 2-2 draw with Denmark in a European Championship qualifier in Copenhagen in 1982 and Ron Greenwood's first match, another Swiss friendly at Wembley, finished goalless in 1977.
Don Revie's charges won 3-0 against Czechoslovakia in a European Championship qualifier at Wembley in 1974 and Sir Walter Winterbottom enjoyed a 7-2 victory over Northern Ireland in a British Championship fixture in Belfast in his first match a year after World War Two ended.
The only England manager to start with a defeat was actually Sir Alf Ramsey. The first team he selected lost 5-2 to France in the "European Nations Cup", the old name for the European Championship, in Paris in 1963. England found themselves a goal down in three minutes.
But he did win us the World Cup - so we'll forgive him for that!
