Former England manager Fabio Capello called Brexit “a huge mistake, a gut vote caused by debate only around immigrants.”
The United Kingdom held a referendum on Thursday and narrowly voted to leave the European Union.
Capello still has a home in England after being their Coach from December 2007 to February 2012.
Former England manager Fabio Capello called Brexit “a huge mistake, a gut vote caused by debate only around immigrants.”
The United Kingdom held a referendum on Thursday and narrowly voted to leave the European Union.
Capello still has a home in England after being their Coach from December 2007 to February 2012.
“I didn’t expect this,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I was aware of the risks of a referendum like this, but I thought things would go differently. I believed to the end that the economic reasons would prevail.
“Instead it was a gut vote. The populist considerations triumphed. I think this result is also caused by bad communication, as it was not properly explained to the people what it meant to leave Europe.
“They talked almost exclusively about immigration and foreigners, overlooking everything else, starting from economic issues.
“I think Brexit will cause general damage to Europe, but in the long run it’s the British who will pay the highest price. There will be repercussions at every level, from the value of the pound to commercial damages.
“The import-export trade will be hurt and the housing market risks being overcome by this gap. At the same time, Europe has to take an enormous portion of the blame for all this. They imposed tough and often incomprehensible political rules on the citizens of the Union.
“Europe was seen as a stepmother and not a mother. It has become a bureaucratic thicket. This British vote is a protest against the European politicians, but we must also remember Great Britain has always been in a very particular context.
“The United Kingdom has an isolationist vocation,” continued Capello. “It is not an anti-European nation, but simply a country where they have always cultivated an individualist sentiment. They feel themselves unique compared to everyone else. There is Great Britain and then the rest of the world. There is the island and what lies beyond the Channel.
“They were in Europe without letting themselves be 100 per cent included. One foot in and one foot out.”
There have already been stories on how Brexit could affect the Premier League and transfer markets, especially if the pound plummets and freedom of labour makes way for work permits.
“It is a delicate issue, because the Premier League is the richest in the world. I think that football must face the same steps as international politics, so it must be faced by FIFA, UEFA and the Football Association.
“Many things will certainly have to be reconsidered, such as the number of foreign players, the criteria for admission and youth sectors. An option could be to adopt the Swiss model, a series of laws to lessen the limits on foreign players.
“The only certainty is that football too will pay a heavy price for this decision. Something will also change in the transfer negotiations, but right now nobody can get a clear picture of what will happen. We are all disoriented. The future is truly unknown.
“This is an historic day with enormous meaning, destined to transform the political and economic balance of the world. It involves everyone, not just Europe. Yes, this is a bitter day.”