LONDON - Sir Alex Ferguson has warned the Football Association that Fabio Capello must remain the most important man connected to the England team.
Capello is due to meet FA chairman David Bernstein later this week to try to bring some stability to a situation that had already led to calls for the England coach to be axed following his controversial comments about the John Terry saga.
Bernstein is in a powerful position.
However, according to Ferguson, it is not as powerful as that of Capello, who is in the final months of a £6million-a-year contract and has been charged with the task of securing glory at Euro 2012.
"There's nothing wrong with having an opinion," said Ferguson.
"I think what will happen in the next few days is there'll have to be a coming together of the FA hierarchy and Fabio Capello because he's the team manager, he has the importance of that position.
"Without question the most important person at a football club is the manager."
After expressing his displeasure during an interview with Italian state broadcaster Rai 1 on Sunday evening, Capello was tight-lipped at Anfield last night.
He claimed "I can't talk" about the furore when quizzed and the Italian also rejected an opportunity to confirm whether he would be staying in his job, even if his mere presence on Merseyside was a positive indication.
However, the speculation continues to fill the void neither Capello nor the FA have attempted to cover.
Meanwhile, Joey Barton will not face any legal action over his pointed observations about the John Terry racism case.
In the immediate aftermath of Terry being stripped of the England captaincy by the FA on Friday, Barton made a succession of robust comments on Twitter.
Although Barton defended them on the grounds of free speech, others felt he was dangerously close to being in contempt of court, something that has yet to be applied to comments made on Twitter.
However, the Attorney General's office confirmed the QPR midfielder is in the clear, while warning of the dangers of committing contempt in the Terry case, which is due before Westminster Magistrates' Court on July 9.
Terry has always denied racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.
A statement released by the Attorney General's office read: "Between February 3-5, Twitter exchanges on Joey Barton's page which related to the forthcoming trial of John Terry were brought to the attention of the Attorney General's office. They have been considered in relation to any possible contempt of court they could create. In this instance the Attorney has decided no action is necessary." (PA)