SSN: Reports Terry dropped as captain

eagle eye

sprinkles wrote: »

Anyone? Really? Ashley Cole? I don't think so.

Anyway, I think Rio is a great choice. He commands the defense well and is very cool and collected when speaking to the media (in most cases). I think he will take the job very serious and prove to be a good choice. I wonder how him and Terry will get on.

I don't think off the pitch behavior should come into the discussion about choosing a captain unless it somehow effects the team morale (ala JT). For example, Roy Keane was a great captain and constantly shouted his mouth off in the press, it was only when he voiced his opinion about the players publicly that he ran into any trouble and rightfully so.

Ferdinand has been having a terrible season, he has spent a lot of time out with injuries and his form hasn't been great. And just when he has a chance for a run of games in World Cup year, he goes and does something stupid and gets banned for 4 games. Hardly what you would want in a Captain.
Lampard would be my first choice, and then Rooney. I wouldn't have Gerard either as he has not been playing well, no guarantee he will be in the team unless his form improves.

Boggles

kleefarr wrote: »

So what happens on the pitch shouldn't be taken into consideration (it was during a match,the violence), but what happens off the pitch in someone's private life should?

Sounds arse about face to me.

Honestly you think a player that has been found guilty of violent conduct during a match shouldn't be considered to be a captain or would be an effective captain?

Think very carefully about your answer, I'm giving you a chance here.

sprinkles

Bubs101 wrote: »

Has Rio ever commanded a defence before. Surely Vidic and Neville do that at United and he's not getting a word in edgewise if he's playing alongside Terry. I mean making him captain is redundant because JT will just assume control anyway

Except when he's covering the Vidic of Terry for their appalling lack of pace. I honestly think Rio does command the defense, and again imo he does it better than Vidic or indeed Terry does. He's comfortable on the ball (maybe a little too comfortable at times) which helps keep the team calm when they're under pressure.

kleefarr

sprinkles wrote: »

Eh what? Read my post again. I never said what happen on the pitch should be ignored - that's pretty much all that should be considered as I mentioned above.

Ok yes. So we agree that there should not have been any discussion regarding Terrys captaincy then.

sprinkles

Boggles wrote: »

The FA agreed he didn't delibertly miss the drugs test, if they han he would have got 2 years.

You have proof he took drugs or your talking out of your pipe?

Sounds like he's using the Guantanamo arguement tbh - guilty until proven innocent.

eagle eye wrote: »

Ferdinand has been having a terrible season, he has spent a lot of time out with injuries and his form hasn't been great. And just when he has a chance for a run of games in World Cup year, he goes and does something stupid and gets banned for 4 games. Hardly what you would want in a Captain.
Lampard would be my first choice, and then Rooney. I wouldn't have Gerard either as he has not been playing well, no guarantee he will be in the team unless his form improves.

Fair point but injury has plagued him and he's not gotten a good run in the team. If he's fit I think he'll be back to his best and if he's fit I think he's the best choice. Also I think Capello wants someone with experience to take the role, thus ruling Rooney out - for now..... I do see your point though. Has Capello announced the vice captain yet?

Boggles wrote: »

Honestly you think a player that has been found guilty of violent conduct during a match shouldn't be considered to be a captain or would be an effective captain?

Think very carefully about your answer, I'm giving you a chance here.

I'm interested to hear his response to his accusations about my post too.

If violent conduct was to be a reason for not picking a captain then Terry wouldn't have been captain in the first place. Not to mention how he swarms around the refs... :rolleyes:

Mitch Connor

kleefarr wrote: »

Ok yes. So we agree that there should not have been any discussion regarding Terrys captaincy then.

what he did impacted on players on the team and would have called into question his leadership of those players.

If you honestly disagree with that it is unbelievable imo.

It isn't simply that Terry had an affair - that could be over looked from a football perspective - he had an affair with a women intimately involved with a team mate.

Warper

Boggles wrote: »

The FA agreed he didn't delibertly miss the drugs test, if they han he would have got 2 years.

You have proof he took drugs or your talking out of your pipe?

Ah wake up. The FA and FIFA wanted the 8 month ban increased to 12 months but it was refused by an independent panel. Geez i say if Ferdinand said he was God you would believe him and probably come on here asking for proof that he wasn't. You are so tunnel-visioned its ridiculous.

sprinkles

kleefarr wrote: »

Ok yes. So we agree that there should not have been any discussion regarding Terrys captaincy then.

Seriously. Read my post again.

I don't think off the pitch behavior should come into the discussion about choosing a captain unless it somehow effects the team morale (ala JT).

kleefarr

sprinkles wrote: »

Seriously. Read my post again.

Who said it was affecting team morale?

Anyway, good question put forward by someone else..

What is morally worst -
JT doing a consenting act in private
Ferdinand missing drugs test and getting banned
Ferdinand getting banned for violent behaviour
Gerrard laying into someone in a bar and beating him up
Rooney with a gran (although this was in private I assume, not sure about the consenting bit.)

This thread is moving faster than the Rafa thread

Mitch Connor

kleefarr wrote: »

Who said it was affecting team morale?

Anyway, good question put forward by someone else..

What is morally worst -
JT doing a consenting act in private
Ferdinand missing drugs test and getting banned
Ferdinand getting banned for violent behaviour
Gerrard laying into someone in a bar and beating him up
Rooney with a gran (although this was in private I assume, not sure about the consenting bit.

hang on - are you hinting Rooney may have raped a gran?

And again, you KEEP ignoring the fact it isn't simply the affair that is the issue, it is the fact it was with the mother of a team mates kids. It may have only happened a month after she split with Bridge, but do you think Bridge knows that. Do you think Bridge may think if Terry was willing to go behind his own wifes back, he may have been willing to go behind his back too?

How about the fact JT paid her 20k to abort a baby. You think Bridge might be a little peeved that JT paid the mother of his kids to have an abortion?

sprinkles

kleefarr wrote: »

Who said it was affecting team morale?

Are you for real? You don't think it'll effect team morale!!! Either you're trying to wind me up or you are emotionally void and can't see how that would effect people. At the very least it has effected Bridge who will/would have been part of the squad imo. And I'm sure there's got to be one or 2 other players that will not look too favorably on the whole incident.

kleefarr

kleefarr wrote: »

Who said it was affecting team morale?

Anyway, good question put forward by someone else..

What is morally worst -
JT doing a consenting act in private
Ferdinand missing drugs test and getting banned
Ferdinand getting banned for violent behaviour
Gerrard laying into someone in a bar and beating him up
Rooney with a gran (although this was in private I assume, not sure about the consenting bit.)

Seriously that post is ridiculous.

Gerrard was cleared by a jury of affray.

Rooney didn't rape a granny, he paid for it.

PHB

Bubs101 wrote: »

Has Rio ever commanded a defence before. Surely Vidic and Neville do that at United and he's not getting a word in edgewise if he's playing alongside Terry. I mean making him captain is redundant because JT will just assume control anyway

Wow. Just Wow.

Ferdinand commands every defence he's in. Vidic follows his instructions, as does Terry.

He is Manchester United's de facto captain, who have won three league titles in a row and a champions league. Shoulda been captain the first time around anyway so...

Warper

rarnes1 wrote: »

Seriously that post is ridiculous.

Gerrard was cleared by a jury of affray.

Rooney didn't rape a granny, he paid for it.

Lol - that is a classic line

Mitch Connor

PHB wrote: »

Wow. Just Wow.

Ferdinand commands every defence he's in. Vidic follows his instructions, as does Terry.

He is Manchester United's de facto captain, who have won three league titles in a row and a champions league. Shoulda been captain the first time around anyway so...

indeed - Neville or Giggs may have the armband, but Rio has clearly been the United captain for the last 3 seasons, and the defence certainly lacks leadership and organization when he is not there.

I don't know if Rio leads Terry in the same way - Rio does give instructions to Terry (and Terry does vice versa) but that is the same with any player who has leaderhip qualities.

PHB

PHB wrote: »

Wow. Just Wow.

Ferdinand commands every defence he's in. Vidic follows his instructions, as does Terry.

He is Manchester United's de facto captain, who have won three league titles in a row and a champions league. Shoulda been captain the first time around anyway so...

When fit yes.

If I was an England fan I'd be worried about his fitness and also his form this season. He has also been pretty poor in the games he has featured in by his standards.

Mitch Connor

rarnes1 wrote: »

When fit yes.

If I was an England fan I'd be worried about his fitness and also his form this season. He has also been pretty poor in the games he has featured in by his standards.

true - if he is to be captain of England, he needs to get back playing and get his fitness and form up, and show that he should be first choice for England in the first place.

Bubs101

eagle eye wrote: »

I know Ferdinand was appointed the Captain today but is that permamant? I think Frank Lampard should be the man. You need a player who is widely respected in the media and who the players respect. I think he is the outstanding candidate.

.

Picking JT's best mate is probably not the best idea if you want a new start.

Jazzy

people here saying rio would make a sh1t captain are idiots tbh. fabio capello thinks he would make a good captain and when it comes to football and comes to who captains a team im pretty sure he is probably in the top 3 most qualified people on earth to make that decision

flahavaj

Bubs101 wrote: »

Picking JT's best mate is probably not the best idea if you want a new start.

Considering how Terry treats his mates you wouldn't bet on that lasting anyhow.:pac:

CSF

Can't believe so many people here are defending John Terry, and that this many people care about who the next England captain is.

eagle eye

CSF wrote: »

Can't believe so many people here are defending John Terry, and that this many people care about who the next England captain is.

Can't believe you got to post here after 6 posts. My how things have changed in the soccer forum.

I remember the day when you needed 50 to even apply for access.

CSF

eagle eye wrote: »

Can't believe you got to post here after 6 posts. My how things have changed in the soccer forum.

I remember the day when you needed 50 to even apply for access.

I have thousands, just my old username got lost in the hack.

kryogen

Fans can now support England without mixed feelings
Analysis: Patrick Barclay
Recommend? (1)


Ferdinand has turned into a thoroughly professional footballer for club and country

Everyone is entitled to a mistake — and few have learnt from one more impressively than Rio Ferdinand. The dim-witted dilettante of 2003, who missed a drugs test and then thought he might fit in this tedious formality after shopping, has turned into a thoroughly professional footballer who deserves to be England captain.

The years since his eight-month suspension by the FA, which cost Ferdinand a place at the European Championship in 2004 — it went to John Terry — have been put to immaculate use.

Ferdinand always had talent, but its harnessing to a formidable physique has been a key factor behind Manchester United’s success in coming through the challenge presented by José Mourinho’s Chelsea and reasserting their position at the forefront of English football.

He has become a team leader, an assertive influence and, despite a couple of glaring exceptions while representing England, shown high levels of concentration since maturing in his late twenties and become, like Terry, a father of two.


In giving Ferdinand the job, Fabio Capello is correcting the error he made in selecting Terry to wear it during the World Cup qualifying matches.

Contrary to the word from the websites, this will have no negative effect whatsoever on England’s chances in the World Cup — Terry will still lead and inspire in the manner of Stuart Pearce — but people of taste will be able to support the team without mixed feelings.

The issue at stake here was never a footballing one. Anyone who has argued along such lines, labours under a misunderstanding of the captain’s role in the game, as Mike Atherton gently pointed out in these pages on Thursday. The England football captaincy is a ceremonial rather than executive duty. That is why a sex maniac may be President or a drunk head the War Cabinet — all that matters in life-or-death situations is that you have the best man for the job — but John Terry is the wrong symbol for English football.

Although anything said about football or its environment is a hostage to fortune, the idea that Ferdinand might be the next public-relations disaster waiting to happen seems a little outdated. True, he was a foolish boy at times in the past and the brief rebellion led by Gary Neville at the time of his England ban suggested that association with the Manchester United concept of right and wrong — they are always right and everyone else wrong — might have helped to prolong his adolescence.

But the right thing has been done. I just wish that it had been done earlier: that the swift authority exerted by Mark Palios on behalf of the FA in 2003 had been exhibited by the present regime under Lord Triesman, so that parents and their children were spared several days of what must have been utter bewilderment about the standards expected by the governing body. Thank goodness for Capello.

Although my choice of captain would have been Wayne Rooney, it hardly matters because he will probably take the armband from his United team-mate after the World Cup. Ferdinand is 31 and will have to overcome back trouble to get through the tournament.

He has been almost audibly creaking over the past 12 months, making mistakes that led to a goal in the Netherlands and the dismissal of Robert Green, the goalkeeper, against Ukraine.

But there is no restorative like the imminence of a World Cup finals and Capello must have made his decision in the belief that Ferdinand will be ready and fully sharpened come June. If he is not, the Italian will have to think again about who should lead the team out against the United States in Rustenburg on June 12. Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Gareth Barry, Frank Lampard; all have their virtues. The main thing is that it should not be Terry.

While we are on the subject of priorities, let it equally be said that the captaincy hardly matters next to the private wounds of Toni Terry and her husband, which everyone hopes will be healed in time.

Who knows? Everyone may be feeling better by July, when, by my admittedly fallible reckoning, England have a very good chance of winning the World Cup.

If it is lifted by Ferdinand, whose good works include energetic anti- racism campaigning, the nation will be united. Terry would have divided us, as he so often has.

eagle eye

What a load of bull that article is. If England win the World Cup it doesn't matter who the captain is, they will all be instant heroes and all past transgressions will be forgotten about.

Regardless of whether Frank Lampard is great mates of John Terry or not, he is the outstanding choice as a public persona for that job and he is also well known as a leader on the field. As I said already, and I'd agree with that article that Wayne Rooney is a guy that really looks like he would make a great captain. He would be my second choice. It seems ridiculous to pick somebody who has been injured and out of form all season.

m@cc@

rarnes1 wrote: »

as are a lot of footballers headshot.

What about Rooney, what you think of his morals?

Rooney:

- was 16 years old at the time

- wasn't married

- didn't have kids

- didn't shag his teammate's partner (who also is the mother of his kid)

Radharc na Sleibhte

John Terry story is the main news on Sky News (not SSN)!!!

"With the world of sport watching and waiting, Fabio Capello wielded his sword straight in less than 12 minutes....."

Jesus they think they're so bloody important.
The world of sport doesn't give a ckfu.

So JT gave her silence money.

"Silence, I kill you"

Last night it emerged that he may have paid as much as £400,000 to Ms Perroncel to stop her divulging details of their liaisons. The settlement led the former lingerie model to attend a press conference yesterday afternoon in which Max Clifford, her publicist, declared that, despite six-figure offers, she would not be selling her story to a Sunday newspaper.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article7017235.ece

Boggles

Warper wrote: »

Ah wake up. The FA and FIFA wanted the 8 month ban increased to 12 months but it was refused by an independent panel. Geez i say if Ferdinand said he was God you would believe him and probably come on here asking for proof that he wasn't. You are so tunnel-visioned its ridiculous.

I have tunnel vision?

Rio missed a drugs test therefore he has to have taken drugs?

You failed to mention the fact he offered to do the test the same day but was told it was too late, you also failed to mention he did the test 2 days later and passed it.

Also it is quite laughable you mention that great instituation Fifa in your attack on Rio.

I don't know why I bother, people like you read a headline and then make your mind up, it's why the rags sell millions everyweek, they know they will always have an audience like you.

RandolphEsq

Reganio 2 wrote: »

Oh yeah it just happens to be the mother of his kid. It has nothing at all to do with Wayne Bridge

Well they were separated from each other so we don't know if Bridge even liked the girl anymore, mother of his child or not.
The emphasis should be on Terry's poor wife as opposed to b€ridge

smuckers

Well a terrible decision for captain, the same Rio that has made lots of clangers for England.

MagicMarker

smuckers wrote: »

Well a terrible decision for captain, the same Rio that has made lots of clangers for England.

So a captain has to be infallible now?

smuckers

No but it would be different if it was only a couple its more than that and that doesn't exactly give confidence to his backline.

MagicMarker

smuckers wrote: »

No but it would be different if it was only a couple its more than that and that doesn't exactly give confidence to his backline.

One of the best CB's in the world doesn't exactly give confidence to his backline?

What's that smell? Oh yeah, bull shít.

smuckers

Great article today

Fabio Capello made his first real mistake as England coach yesterday. What a shame it was such a big one.

The sacking of John Terry as England captain risks plunging the squad into anarchy a few months away from the World Cup finals.

It proves nothing and solves nothing. Its only effect will be to make the players wonder whose side Capello is really on.

Capello made an illogical and arbitrary judgment yesterday, a judgment that belies his reputation as a clear thinker.

There was no suggestion that Terry would be banished from the squad altogether so lets try and get it straight: Terry is not fit to be England captain but he is fit to represent his country.

Hes not fit to wear the armband but he is fit to wear the shirt. How exactly does that work? So much for the England coachs reputation as the strongman of international football. What he did at Wembley yesterday was weak, weak, weak.

When he bowed to the baying of the mob by stripping Terry of the captaincy of his country, he set a dangerous precedent.

He sent out a message that the England skipper has to be beyond reproach in his private life as well as his professional life or else he gets fired.

Well done Fabio you just flashed a green light at every gold digger and muck raker who wants the England captain as a trophy.

Every pimp and every hooker, every thief and low-life, have got dollar signs in front of their eyes now.

You beckoned them on and you told them the man who wears the armband is fair game.

You missed a chance to prove to your players that you wouldnt bow to a media campaign.

And by doing that, for the first time since you took over, you gave the players a reason to doubt and distrust you.

There has been a lot of discussion recently about how Terry crossed a line when he had an affair with the ex-girlfriend of a fellow player.

Well, Capello crossed a line yesterday, too. He failed to support his captain when his captain needed him most.

He sided with the media clamour rather than his skipper. The other players are unlikely to forget that.

Given that Capello appears to have made up his mind about Terry before another attempt to discredit him was published yesterday morning, his downfall rests squarely on his alleged sexual indiscretions.

Lets hope that Capello is clear with the other players and indeed his own backroom staff about just where the moral boundaries lie.

Do you have to sleep with a teammates ex-girlfriend to get the sack? Will you get fired if its merely a married woman? What about if youre single but you sleep around? If youre a man who loves women, is that enough to get you in trouble?

Capello has made all these questions real and live now. He has legitimised them. And he has painted a target on his players backs in the process.

This is the manager, dont forget, who was livid when pictures of him and his wife bathing in mud were published recently in a Sunday newspaper.

He was appalled at the invasion of his privacy and yet his response to the same thing happening to Terry was to sack him.

Next in the firing line as Terrys replacement is Rio Ferdinand, apparently.

After what he did to the Chelsea captain yesterday, Capello better get down on his dodgy knees and pray that Ferdinand is spotless.

Because if someone places a call to Max Clifford and says shes got a story to sell, then Capello will have to sack Ferdinand as well.

It will be the same for whoever comes next. And next after that. Stand by for an epidemic of kiss and tells, courtesy of Mr Capello.

Talk about handing Ferdinand a poisoned chalice. I feel sorry for the Manchester United defender already. Nobody should have to live their life under that kind of scrutiny.

People said Terry had devalued the England captaincy with his behaviour but now Capello has devalued it, too.

By refusing to stick up for the captains right to a private life, he has made it the hottest hot potato in football.

If you screw up, if youre not blasphemy-free, the manager throws you to the wolves.

The sacking of Terry hasnt even fixed the issue of the awkwardness that will exist between him and Wayne Bridge over Terrys affair with Bridges ex-girlfriend.

That was what sparked this whole furore in the first place but yesterdays developments didnt change that dynamic.

The media frenzy around both players will still be there when they meet up for the next game against Egypt .

The shame is that Capello could have waited this one out. England havent got a game for a month. What was the rush? All the talk was of how the publicity surrounding Terry might become a distraction for the rest of the squad.

But if Terry was strong enough to deal with it and he showed every sign that it hadnt affected him then Capello should have been strong enough to deal with it, too.

He went down the crowd-pleasing route yesterday. He listened to the moral majority when he should have stood firm and stuck up for his captain.

His failure to do so risks the implosion of all our World Cup ambitions.


Rio is decent but I just don't rate him as highly as others do.

MIN2511

smuckers wrote: »

Great article today

Fabio Capello made his first real mistake as England coach yesterday. What a shame it was such a big one.

The sacking of John Terry as England captain risks plunging the squad into anarchy a few months away from the World Cup finals.

It proves nothing and solves nothing. Its only effect will be to make the players wonder whose side Capello is really on.

Capello made an illogical and arbitrary judgment yesterday, a judgment that belies his reputation as a clear thinker.

There was no suggestion that Terry would be banished from the squad altogether so lets try and get it straight: Terry is not fit to be England captain but he is fit to represent his country.

Hes not fit to wear the armband but he is fit to wear the shirt. How exactly does that work? So much for the England coachs reputation as the strongman of international football. What he did at Wembley yesterday was weak, weak, weak.

When he bowed to the baying of the mob by stripping Terry of the captaincy of his country, he set a dangerous precedent.

He sent out a message that the England skipper has to be beyond reproach in his private life as well as his professional life or else he gets fired.

Well done Fabio you just flashed a green light at every gold digger and muck raker who wants the England captain as a trophy.

Every pimp and every hooker, every thief and low-life, have got dollar signs in front of their eyes now.

You beckoned them on and you told them the man who wears the armband is fair game.

You missed a chance to prove to your players that you wouldnt bow to a media campaign.

And by doing that, for the first time since you took over, you gave the players a reason to doubt and distrust you.

There has been a lot of discussion recently about how Terry crossed a line when he had an affair with the ex-girlfriend of a fellow player.

Well, Capello crossed a line yesterday, too. He failed to support his captain when his captain needed him most.

He sided with the media clamour rather than his skipper. The other players are unlikely to forget that.

Given that Capello appears to have made up his mind about Terry before another attempt to discredit him was published yesterday morning, his downfall rests squarely on his alleged sexual indiscretions.

Lets hope that Capello is clear with the other players and indeed his own backroom staff about just where the moral boundaries lie.

Do you have to sleep with a teammates ex-girlfriend to get the sack? Will you get fired if its merely a married woman? What about if youre single but you sleep around? If youre a man who loves women, is that enough to get you in trouble?

Capello has made all these questions real and live now. He has legitimised them. And he has painted a target on his players backs in the process.

This is the manager, dont forget, who was livid when pictures of him and his wife bathing in mud were published recently in a Sunday newspaper.

He was appalled at the invasion of his privacy and yet his response to the same thing happening to Terry was to sack him.

Next in the firing line as Terrys replacement is Rio Ferdinand, apparently.

After what he did to the Chelsea captain yesterday, Capello better get down on his dodgy knees and pray that Ferdinand is spotless.

Because if someone places a call to Max Clifford and says shes got a story to sell, then Capello will have to sack Ferdinand as well.

It will be the same for whoever comes next. And next after that. Stand by for an epidemic of kiss and tells, courtesy of Mr Capello.

Talk about handing Ferdinand a poisoned chalice. I feel sorry for the Manchester United defender already. Nobody should have to live their life under that kind of scrutiny.

People said Terry had devalued the England captaincy with his behaviour but now Capello has devalued it, too.

By refusing to stick up for the captains right to a private life, he has made it the hottest hot potato in football.

If you screw up, if youre not blasphemy-free, the manager throws you to the wolves.

The sacking of Terry hasnt even fixed the issue of the awkwardness that will exist between him and Wayne Bridge over Terrys affair with Bridges ex-girlfriend.

That was what sparked this whole furore in the first place but yesterdays developments didnt change that dynamic.

The media frenzy around both players will still be there when they meet up for the next game against Egypt .

The shame is that Capello could have waited this one out. England havent got a game for a month. What was the rush? All the talk was of how the publicity surrounding Terry might become a distraction for the rest of the squad.

But if Terry was strong enough to deal with it and he showed every sign that it hadnt affected him then Capello should have been strong enough to deal with it, too.

He went down the crowd-pleasing route yesterday. He listened to the moral majority when he should have stood firm and stuck up for his captain.

His failure to do so risks the implosion of all our World Cup ambitions.


Rio is decent but I just don't rate him as highly as others do.

I totally agree with your post except the Rio bit

It's a big mistake; personal lives and professional live shouldn't be mixed. He should have stood with his captain, SAF would have done that.


And i know SAF isn't the English Captain but still he stands by his players:cool:

astrofool

As long as Rio isn't nobbing a team mates bird, he'll be ok

Pepe LeFrits

Terry's position was untenable imo. Reading from a couple of sources that there will be further 'revelations' published in the rags tomorrow. I'll say no more in case they're wrong, but I don't think this particular scandal is over yet. If the papers have more dirt they'll stagger the release of it.

kleefarr

This Oliver Holt article in full, spot on ..


Fabio Capello made his first real mistake as England coach yesterday. What a shame it was such a big one.

The sacking of John Terry as England captain risks plunging the squad into anarchy a few months away from the World Cup finals.

It proves nothing and solves nothing. Its only effect will be to make the players wonder whose side Capello is really on.

Capello made an illogical and arbitrary judgment yesterday, a judgment that belies his reputation as a clear thinker.


There was no suggestion that Terry would be banished from the squad altogether so lets try and get it straight: Terry is not fit to be England captain but he is fit to represent his country.

Hes not fit to wear the armband but he is fit to wear the shirt. How exactly does that work? So much for the England coachs reputation as the strongman of international football. What he did at Wembley yesterday was weak, weak, weak.

When he bowed to the baying of the mob by stripping Terry of the captaincy of his country, he set a dangerous precedent.

He sent out a message that the England skipper has to be beyond reproach in his private life as well as his professional life or else he gets fired.

Well done Fabio you just flashed a green light at every gold digger and muck raker who wants the England captain as a trophy.

Every pimp and every hooker, every thief and low-life, have got dollar signs in front of their eyes now.

You beckoned them on and you told them the man who wears the armband is fair game.

You missed a chance to prove to your players that you wouldnt bow to a media campaign.

And by doing that, for the first time since you took over, you gave the players a reason to doubt and distrust you.

There has been a lot of discussion recently about how Terry crossed a line when he had an affair with the ex-girlfriend of a fellow player.

Well, Capello crossed a line yesterday, too. He failed to support his captain when his captain needed him most.

He sided with the media clamour rather than his skipper. The other players are unlikely to forget that.

Given that Capello appears to have made up his mind about Terry before another attempt to discredit him was published yesterday morning, his downfall rests squarely on his alleged sexual indiscretions.

Lets hope that Capello is clear with the other players and indeed his own backroom staff about just where the moral boundaries lie.

Do you have to sleep with a teammates ex-girlfriend to get the sack? Will you get fired if its merely a married woman? What about if youre single but you sleep around? If youre a man who loves women, is that enough to get you in trouble?

Capello has made all these questions real and live now. He has legitimised them. And he has painted a target on his players backs in the process.

This is the manager, dont forget, who was livid when pictures of him and his wife bathing in mud were published recently in a Sunday newspaper.

He was appalled at the invasion of his privacy and yet his response to the same thing happening to Terry was to sack him.

Next in the firing line as Terrys replacement is Rio Ferdinand, apparently.

After what he did to the Chelsea captain yesterday, Capello better get down on his dodgy knees and pray that Ferdinand is spotless.

Because if someone places a call to Max Clifford and says shes got a story to sell, then Capello will have to sack Ferdinand as well.

It will be the same for whoever comes next. And next after that. Stand by for an epidemic of kiss and tells, courtesy of Mr Capello.

Talk about handing Ferdinand a poisoned chalice. I feel sorry for the Manchester United defender already. Nobody should have to live their life under that kind of scrutiny.

People said Terry had devalued the England captaincy with his behaviour but now Capello has devalued it, too.

By refusing to stick up for the captains right to a private life, he has made it the hottest hot potato in football.

If you screw up, if youre not blasphemy-free, the manager throws you to the wolves.

The sacking of Terry hasnt even fixed the issue of the awkwardness that will exist between him and Wayne Bridge over Terrys affair with Bridges ex-girlfriend.

That was what sparked this whole furore in the first place but yesterdays developments didnt change that dynamic.

The media frenzy around both players will still be there when they meet up for the next game against Egypt .

The shame is that Capello could have waited this one out. England havent got a game for a month. What was the rush? All the talk was of how the publicity surrounding Terry might become a distraction for the rest of the squad.

But if Terry was strong enough to deal with it and he showed every sign that it hadnt affected him then Capello should have been strong enough to deal with it, too.

He went down the crowd-pleasing route yesterday. He listened to the moral majority when he should have stood firm and stuck up for his captain.

His failure to do so risks the implosion of all our World Cup ambitions.

leninbenjamin

That article is utter tabloid crap... 'pimps and hookers?' it's just utter sensationalism trying to vilify Capello.

Jazzy

sh1t over the top reactionary article that has no real depth and is just there to be sold to ppl that hate rio/love terry. you can tell by the language used and phrases like "Capello better get down on his dodgy knees" as if to imply that capello doesnt know exactly what he is doing.

sh1te gutter journalism im afraid boys, buy it if you want though, it has all those things some ppl want to hear in it

m@cc@

BS article. If anyone knows anything about man-management, I'd trust the multi-Championship winning manager Capellio, not some no-mark writer from the Mirror.

flahavaj

Gutterpress determined to undermine their country's world cup chances yet again I see.

Uefa president Michel Platini after being asked for a third time about Fabio Capello's decision to sack John Terry as captain: "I'm not bothered. What would you like me to say?"

SlickRic

Capello made a brilliant decision.

Terry will still be a leader on the pitch, yet won't have the same responsibilities off it.

it makes perfect sense.

i'm struggling to understand why people are disputing it.

sprinkles

Here's an article on the decision to drop Terry from a proper journalist.....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/feb/05/fabio-capello-john-terry-england

nullzero

Once I see the name Oliver Holt I tend to switch off.
The man isn't exactly someone I have a lot of respect for, or the publication he writes for.
As for John Terry, he's always been a devisive figure, ie, if you're a Chelsea fan you're bound to think he's great, if you're not you're bound to employ logic in analysing the man and see he's a bit of a... well you get the picture.

Should he have lost the England captiancy after these allegations became public? I think that Capello made a good decision. He has made a gesture to those in his squad who may have taken offence to Terry's actions, whilst still holding onto a player who he see's as being important to his plans for the world cup. Effectively I would think that Capello has given this issue as much attention as he intends to, anyone in his camp will be reminded of the fact that Terry was stripped of the captaincy if they bring it up again. Some people are saying it was master stroke by Capello, others saying it was a huge mistake, it was neither, it was simply the most logical conclusion.

As for John Terry the person, well I don't really have anything nice to say about him so I'll leave it at that.

astrofool

An article from The Mirror has been copy/pasted/quoted three times into a boards.ie thread, shouldn't the posters be perm banned, or put into everyones ignore list?

kleefarr

This is all just turning into a money making scandal fest that the media can make more money from. It's sickening. They're scum.

The English Mail online.