John Terry Stripped of England Captaincy

February 5th, 2010 | by: Daryl |

john terry captain John Terry will not be England captain at the 2010 World Cup. Simple as that. Fabio Capello flew back from Italy to make a decision following the revelation of Terry’s alleged affair with Wayne Bridge’s ex-girlfriend, sat down with Terry, and told him the bad news. Unlike John Harkes though, John Terry will remain in the England team. He’ll play at World Cup 2010. He just won’t have an armband around his bicep. He might even be relieved to get out of all the PR activities a World Cup bound England captain is obliged to do.

The English media and bookies were probably hoping for a few days of “Who will be the new captain?” speculation, but Capello has cleverly robbed them of that chance by pointing out that he already named Rio Ferdinand vice-captain and Steven Gerrard as third-choice-captain (vice-vice-captain?) and so it’s a simple case of both men stepping one rung up the ladder.

Capello’s statement released on the FA website is below:

“After much thought, I have made the decision that it will be best for me to take the captaincy away from John Terry.

“As a captain with the team, John Terry has displayed extremely positive behaviour. However, I have to take into account other considerations and what is best for all of the England squad.

“What is best for all of the England team has inspired my choice.

“John Terry was notified first.

“When I chose John Terry as captain, I also selected a vice-captain and also named a third choice. There is no reason to change this decision.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank The FA, particularly Lord David Triesman and Ian Watmore for allowing me to make this decision in my own time and in the best interest of the team.”

Obviously this whole thing has been a tawdry mess, and doesn’t do English football any favours. I’m not even sure they should be allowed to wear all-white at the World Cup now. But credit to both the FA for staying out of it, and to Fabio Capello for being stone cold decisive and leaving very few loose ends. I’m almost tempted to say the whole thing is done and dusted, but we’re yet to see how John Terry reacts, how the England team reacts, and – most gossipy of all – whether Wayne Bridge makes the England World Cup squad.

- More on England at England World Cup Blog

Tags: England, Fabio Capello, John Terry, World Cup 2010

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Attila

Hye. Does anybody know if Terry has a personal blog? I would like to leave him a message... I'm not a Chelsea fan, but I do not agree with this massive attack on him... Keep it up, John!
Howard Forster

I think the right decision has been made to let Terry go, but who is Capello kidding if he thinks Rio Ferdinand is a good replacement.

He would of been better off giving the top slot to Barry or Rooney, they have real passion for the game in my opiniom.
ish

bridge will struggle to get into the WC10, warnock and baines are ahead of him in my eyes currently.
FIFA 2010 WORLD CUP

I think that this could be one of the best things to happen to the English team… because since so much of the focus will be on John Terry, and since the entire focus of the media will remain on him (notice how on the FA press release, it doesn’t even bother to say who is the new captain), he will rise to the occasion, just like he did against Burnley, and likewise, with all the attention on him, it will allow Rooney and Lampard and Ashley Cole and whoever they stick in goal to play with no pressure on them….

http://profifaworldcup2010.blogspot.com/

I feel like this will be a good thing in the long run, and who knows? When Ferdinand goes down with injury in the group stages, and Gerrard tears his groin in the final, wouldn’t it be fitting to have them hand back the armband to “The Brave” after playing the best stretch of football in his career to lift the trophy over Germany?
Drabik

Its not just an 'ex-girlfriend'. Its the mother of his 4 year old child.

@ish

Rio missed a drugs test. It's only because he played for Manchester United that he was given an 8 month ban (Manchester City player had the same offense at about the same time, with almost no punishment). Maybe now he is England captain, the FA will go easy on him and reduce/remove bans like they did with Terry?

Rooney is controlling his temper more and more. Maybe a captaincy will help him. He certainly cares about the game more than anyone else.

As people have said, a captaincy doesnt mean as much in football as other sports. Andy Cole recently said that you can have many players on the pitch acting as captain - but only one can have the arm-band on. They will all be voicing the manager's opinions anyway.

@Wendy

Wayne bridge is almost certainly going to the world cup. behind ashley cole, he is the best left back we have. He is coming back from injury this weekend i beleive.
ish

rio: not very clean himself, the whole drug scandal seems forgotten

gerrard: didnt he freakin get into a bar fight and need to go to court, great model there.

rooney: cant control his temper and doesnt deserve it.

honestly the lot of them have pretty loose morals, i would be tempted to give it to beckham or barry but neither are shoe ins for a spot. lampard wont be accepted by many because of chelsea connections but he is probably the cleanest player who is a guaranteed starter under capello.

honestly terry should stay as captain solely because he is a good captain and organizes the defense very well.
Johnny

I'm not a Rio hater but seems odd that the armband was given to a player serving a four-match ban by the F.A. for violent conduct.
sandrahn

The whole "captain" thing in England is hysterical, neurotic, ridiculous -- it's such a HUGELY overhyped position. I don't know any other country that goes on and on about a team's captain they way they do in England.
sandrahn

much ado about nothing...I can tell you if this whole thing were happening in Italy, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Holland, this would hardly be a blip on the radar.
Siva

@ Bashar.. everyone would do that if given the chance..These are all hot girls.

obviously the girl in question was comforted by terry over the break up with bridge and ,she was vulnerable and when the girl comes onto you you will falter...