Former England manager Terry Venables has claimed that Fabio Capello should not have resigned as the coach of the national team.

The Italian stepped down on Wednesday evening after four years in the job.

Despite his departure, Venables believes that the 65-year-old should have honoured his contract until after the upcoming European Championships.

"Despite being publicly humiliated and seeing his power taken away by his paymasters, Capello should have remembered what is fundamentally important: football and leading England to glory at Euro 2012," Venables told The Sun.

"He should have swallowed his pride and channelled the anger he undoubtedly feels into taking the Three Lions all the way in Poland and Ukraine. He should have successfully finished the job he started and was paid so handsomely to do.

"He would never have experienced a sweeter moment than raising the European Championship trophy and two fingers to his bosses. When it would have been harder to stay, Capello decided to leave."

Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp has emerged as the favourite to succeed Capello.