Fabio Capello asked to be judged on his performance as the England coach during the World Cup qualifiers.
Wednesday, when the the Three Lions play Croatia in Zagreb, could already be judgement day for the Italian.
This is the acid test for Capello, whoesejob will is already coming under question after another disappointing effort against Andorra in the opening Group 6 qualifier in Barcelona.
It was poor and pitiful from a side who were booed off by their travelling fans. Only Joe Cole's second-half double rescued England against a team who are ranked 186th in the world.
Two years ago, it took three second-half goals to spare their blushes, but we all know what happened to Steve McClaren, the previous manager, in the end.
Even the Andorran coach, David Rodrigo, could not resist a jibe at Capello as his side held out for the first half, forcing jeers from the frustrated England fans.
"Mr Capello says he does not quite understand why a small team like Andorra, when losing 2-0, is still in the defensive position," he said.
"He can try coaching Andorra and I will try coaching England and I am sure that we will beat Andorra by more than 2-0!"
Croatia, who opened up with a convincing 3-0 home win over Kazakhstan, will relish taking on an England side disjointed and lacking in confidence.
Their biggest worry is whether the speculation about his future might distract the coach Slaven Bilic, who has been linked with the West Ham manager's job.
His side won both group games against England to end their bid to reach the Euro 2008 finals England will be motivated by revenge. And while Capello is not tainted by those losses, he was upbeat about the Zagreb task.
"Are England good enough to get a result? Yes, I think so. I am confident in my team," he said.
akhan@thenational.ae
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'C'mon C'mon'
Director:Mike Mills
Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman
Rating: 4/5
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
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ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
