Capello's Madrid future unknown

Fabio Capello will consider retirement if he is forced out of Real Madrid.  The Italian guided Madrid to their first league title since the 2002-03 campaign on Sunday thanks to a 3-1 defeat of Real Mallorca.

But doubts persist about his future despite the fact he is under contract until 2009 and assurances from president Ramon Calderon that the club are not looking to replace him.

In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Capello said: "If I had to leave, I would leave with my head held high. The best teams already have a coach so I could retire two years before I intended."

Madrid finished the season level on 76 points with Barcelona but their better head-to-head record against the Catalan giants saw the title return to the Spanish capital.

As a coach, Capello now has two Primera Liga titles - he won his first in his previous spell at Madrid in the 1996-97 campaign - and seven league crowns after capturing five in Italy's Serie A.

He returned to Madrid last summer from Juventus.

Despite the title win, Madrid's style of football has not won over everyone at the Bernabeu although Capello insists he has carried out the job he was brought in to do.

He continued: "We should ask him (Calderon) what is happening. I was brought here to win, we won and I believe I have done my duty.

"The possibility of me staying is like throwing a coin up in the air. I only know that I want to remain to win the Champions League.

"I have already booked my return flight to return to Madrid on July 19th because our pre-season starts the day after."

The 61-year-old admits he has endured his most challenging campaign as coach.

Madrid were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich and were ousted from the Copa del Rey by Betis, both at the last-16 stage.

Capello has also had public rows with players like Antonio Cassano, David Beckham and Ronaldo, who left in the January transfer window to join AC Milan.

Capello said: "Without a doubt it has been the most difficult achievement of my career.  I have felt like a salmon, forced to go against the current.

"Thanks to my assistants, we have been able to create a group that didn't exist and we have achieved a true miracle."

Calderon said Capello's future should be resolved in the near future, although the club supremo insists he will not be central to the decision-making process.

"It is a job which will be developed by (sporting director Predrag) Mijatovic and his work group. They have shown that that know how to do their work well," he said in Marca.

"When I was elected president I did not choose the coach and I am not going to do it now. I do not have the capacity to choose him.

"Capello has been the best one at this time, without doubt, the ones in the sporting department must decide if he is the best to front the team for the coming year.

"It will be decided in the coming week. We are going to Israel and the coming week Mijatovic and (technical secretary Franco) Baldini plus the sporting commission and club board will give their opinion. This is normal at a club like Real Madrid."