SO a new footballing era for England dawns with a victory at Wembley against Switzerland.

Or, put another way, the 12th-ranked country in the world beat the 44th. Which is not meant to rain on Fabio Capello's opening parade, rather to pin back the unrealistic hype that's accompanied so many England managers to the job centre.

Yes, for the most part there was an organisation and robustness to England's defence that you would expect from a group of players under the stewardship of the best Italy can provide.

There were also two well-worked goals in the 2-1 triumph, one from the excellent Jermaine Jenas and the other from second-half substitute Shaun Wright-Phillips.

But Capello also discovered why England will not be in Switzerland and Austria this summer.

For some unfathomable reason when England footballers pull on the shirt with the Three Lions, they appear incapable of passing the ball more than 10 metres to a team-mate.

For an Italian, schooled in patience and technical excellence, that is anathema. So it was hardly surprising that Ashley Cole and Gareth Barry, yes, even Steven Gerrard, at times received the iciest of glares.

It was not just Capello who recognised dross when he saw it. So did the England fans and the new era was subjected to its first sustained chorus of boos as early as the 37th minute.

Cue an immediate improvement via trickery from Joe Cole, who slalomed his way to the bye-line before sliding a pass to Jenas who finished neatly for the first goal under the new manager.

If anyone doubted this was to be the start of a radical new era, all they had to do was consult Capello's first team sheet.

Only three survived from the team humiliated by Croatia in November, namely Rio Ferdinand, Gerrard and Joe Cole.

But it was the decision to consign Michael Owen to the bench for the first time since 2000 which telescoped Capello's intentions.

In the 61-year-old Italian, the FA have recruited perhaps the most ruthless manager in England's history - and history tells us that is an essential quality in great managers.

After all, didn't Sir Alf Ramsey leave Jimmy Greaves, arguably England's most prolific striker, out of the World Cup Final. And didn't Sir Alex Ferguson axe keeper Jim Leighton from Manchester United's 1990 FA Cup Final replay against Crystal Palace.

Capello is from the same school. True, his defensive instincts will have been alarmed by the ease with which Eren Derdiyok shot past David James for the Swiss goal.

But there were also moments to quicken the pulse in a match which began with a silent tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

The talent at Capello's disposal does not rival those Busby Babes. But it was an encouraging start. No more, no less.