England football fans wake up today just three months from the second most important football tournament their team competes in, without a manager for that team. Fabio Capello has walked and the Football Association has once again turned an issue into a crisis.
Put simply, a crisis is an issue that hasn't been controlled. The FA has along track record of failing to control issues meaning they quickly become crisis situations.
The latest revolves around the allegations that John Terry, until last week England captain, racially abused another player in a Premier League game while playing for Chelsea. Those who argue John Terry should have remained as England captain deploy the 'innocent until proven guilty' argument. It was the same for the FA back in October when the case was first investigated by police. Now, with a court date set, the FA insisted Terry as England captain at a major tournament was simply unviable.
I make no judgement over John Terry's case. I do judge the way the FA has handled this process. In October, thinking ahead to this summer, they should have made the decision that Terry could not be England captain until this saga had been resolved. By acting quickly they would have added some oxygen to the row when it first emerged but then could have moved on. Instead they hesitated only to make the decision that was inevitable but in a way that was deemed unacceptable to Fabio Capello.
When an issue develops in any organisation those in power - as well as those tasked with communicating on behalf of that organisation - must think strategically not just tactically. By thinking beyond this weekend's headlines reputations are protected, crises do not erupt.
Let's hope the FA has learnt a lesson from this latest shambles but sadly I doubt it.
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