Capello On Terry As Captain: “Not On My Watch!”

February 28th, 2010 | by: Dave Martinez | View Comments

This Wayne Bridge/John Terry soap opera has more legs and characters than a Bruce Lee flick. You would have thought that Bridge’s snub of his English national team call up would be spicy enough for one week. Hell, you may thought that the non-handshake heard ’round the world would be the final salvo in this fiasco. But no, Fabio Capello has thrown yet another log into this burning forest.

He has picked a side. Definitively. Sorta.

From The Guardian:

“Until the World Cup, John Terry will not be the captain again,” said Capello. “After the World Cup? If I remain as England manager? I think not. I asked for the captain to set an example for the young people; for the children and the fans. What he did was not good. I told him this and he understood.”

But in some clever political backtalking, Capello made sure to keep offenses on both sides at a minimal.

“But I took the decision only because of what happened with Wayne Bridge, nothing else. I didn’t ever consider taking John Terry out of the squad, just as I didn’t decide to take Wayne Bridge out. And I don’t believe the other players will have lost respect for him because they know his leadership qualities.”

Translation?

“Bridgey baby! Look at what I did for you! No captaincy for John Terry while I am in charge! . . . wait hold on, someone is calling me on the other line. Hello? Johnny? But Terry, sweety, I love and respect your work regardless of your mistakes. In the immortal words of that American victim Rodney King, ‘can’t we all just get along?!’ Hold on, I have someone else on the other line . . . “

Politics 101. Capello knows Bridge’s worth on the team, and is willing to make a pseudo sacrifice of John Terry in order to appease the situation, all the while standing by the side of his fallen captain by firmly and emphatically stating the importance of his play on the team itself.

See, everyones happy now right? Er, right . . .

With the situation still at boiling point level, do Capellos comments have the potential to do more harm than good? Terry isn’t captain, everyone understood why. I mean, does the situation need any more explaining? Or is the transparency of his dilemma explanation enough for his outspoken statement? It is obvious he must have informed Terry of his public condemnation, so is it safe to say this was all planned to bring Bridge back home? And will Bridge really abandon one of the precious few opportunities a footballer ever has in representing his country on the worlds biggest stage?

This is one story that desperately needs a happy ending.

Dumb move by Capello or the last ditch efforts of a desperate man? You make the call. Let your voice be heard in the comments below.

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