Terry Loses Captaincy

[Dynamite]

Sky News sources understands John Terry has been stripped of the England captaincy following allegations over his private life.

Terry's future as skipper of his country has been the subject of intense speculation ever since allegations he had an affair with England team-mate Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend.

The Chelsea star met with England coach Fabio Capello at Wembley on Friday afternoon to discuss his future as captain in the wake of the allegations.

The Football Association made it clear Capello alone will decide the Terry's fate and the Italian has decided to take the armband off the 29-year-old.

The news throws England's plans for the World Cup into disarray with Capello now forced to look for a new captain for this summer's tournament in South Africa.

More to follow..

Sky are the first ones reporting it. They said the meeting lasted just 12 minutes. If it is indeed true, who do you think should replace him? Sky is suggesting Gerrard but I really hope it isn't him.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Well, as much as Terry's actions are morally bad and unforgivable......The media has certainly helped to unsettle the England squad ahead of the summer.....Nice work by the Max Cliffords of this world >_<

[Rich]

Pffft.... If its true, then I have no idea who should replace him. The way Gerrard is playing he doesn't really deserve it at the minute. On the other hand no one is really stand out, and guaranteed a starting place other than Wayne Rooney, who I don't think is really a viable proposition as Captain... Rio would be ok, if fit, Lampard would be ok, but is not guaranteed a starting place. Ashley Cole can do one. No Goalkeeper deserves it, Barry isn't right... Beckham is another that if he goes he is not guaranteed a spot... Terry (for me) was the only option at the time, and here we are about 2 years later and there appears to be no other viable options.

[therockbox]

It shouldn't be Gerrard.

Brilliant player, awful captain.

It's the Gerrard/Lampard debate version 2.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Lampard or Barry probably but neither fit so well.

I'd imagine Dawson may be going and he's been captaining Spus but he rightly won't be first choice if Rio's fit.

Rooney? But strikers shouldn't be captains in an ideal world.

[badotori]

It'd be brilliant if Capello gave the captaincy to Bridge - "This is what goes down when you don't keep your cock in your pants, John."

In all seriousness though, there's one man that's got to come out of this smiling (beside from Bridge) and that's David Beckham. Going into the biggest football tournament in the world as part of a team without an obvious captain when you're the most established and experienced player. If he continues to get in the Milan side and play well for them then I can easily see him ending up in the World Cup squad and taking on the captaincy. Capello may experiment in friendlies beforehand but, at the moment, I can't see another viable option.

EDIT: If we're talking about captains for their club, Hammy, what about Matthew Upson? He's always shown a cool head at the back but, like Dawson, he's down the pecking order a bit.

Edited February 5, 2010 by badotori

[GA!]

And then The Sun and the other tabloids will wonder why England haven't won the World Cup when they get knocked out. Well done to them...

[Dan]

"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."

So..it's rio?

Edit:

Rio Ferdinand appointed England captain after John Terry is stripped of armband

Edited February 5, 2010 by Version Dan

[Scott McFly]

Terry and Barry Ferguson should go set up their own nation they can captain. With blackjack! And hookers!

[BillionDollarChamp]

This was the only decision Capello could make leading us into the World Cup, I think Gerrard should be captain over Ferdinand but it seems Capello would rather his Captain be a centre-back which is ok, i just hope we dont choke on the big stage again like we always do

[Rich]

This was the only decision Capello could make leading us into the World Cup, I think Gerrard should be captain over Ferdinand but it seems Capello would rather his Captain be a centre-back which is ok, i just hope we dont choke on the big stage again like we always do

Like I said, based on this season Steven Gerrard doesn't deserve it. He has been fit enough to play most of the year, and he has been piss poor and has lead his team to some terrible performances. At least when Ferdinand has been fit most of the time he has performed well and has helped to lead the Man Utd team. To be honest after the way that Capello has lead the team since he took over I will not even hesitate to say that the man has made the right choice in this as he normally does.

[Dynamite]

The main things I like about Capello is that he's not scared to make decisions like this and he doesn't like off-the-field distractions. Choosing Rio is a bit of an odd one considering he's currently suspended for lashing out at another player.

[Crybaby Bunting]

That and Rio had some personal problems of his own a while back that resulted in him missing half a season >_>

[Adam]

I think it's a ridiculous decision, and one which ruins our World Cup chances. I really do. The media's done a fantastic job scuppering our hopes this time around, can't wait to see what they do leading into 2014. :/

I don't think what Terry does in his personal life should affect his England chances. Now what you've done is cause unrest and possible chaos, it could easilt affect Terry's performance for England now, I expect it will, and he's been replaced by Rio Ferdinand, a horrific choice IMO. If he's been dropped on morale grounds, then it baffles me that Ferdinand his his replacement. The man was suspended for 8 months and missed Euro 2004 on drugs related grounds lest we forget. The only other option was Gerrard, who assaulted a man not long ago. Besides that, both Gerrard and Ferdinand have been poor this season anyway, and Rio is always injured anyway.

Baffling. Would be great to see Egypt thrash us next month now, exposing the decision as a poor one.

[therockbox]

Gerrard was found not guilty.

Probably worth mentioning (Y)

[Liam]

Gerrard was found not guilty.

Probably worth mentioning (Y)

Like he was ever going to get a fair and just trial.

Fair enough, he was found not guilty, but that doesn't always mean the be all and end all to a situation.

I wouldn't personally want Ferdinand as captain, but if he is already second in command, makes sense.

[therockbox]

Gerrard was found not guilty.

Probably worth mentioning (Y)

Like he was ever going to get a fair and just trial.

Fair enough, he was found not guilty, but that doesn't always mean the be all and end all to a situation.

There's absolutely nothing to suggest that was the case here. I took issue with AdamDRFC saying definitively that Gerrard "assaulted a man" as if it was fact, when it plainly isn't.

[Crybaby Bunting]

He definitely hit a man... which by most criteria would count as assault.

He argued (and won) that he had been provoked somehow.

[therockbox]

He argued it was self decence (although the 'fight' was started by one of his friends, but I'm not really sure it's fair to hold that against Gerrard). The way AdamDRFC said he assaulted a man seemed to suggest that he'd actually gone up to the man and attacked him for no reason, although if I read that the wrong way then fair enough.

[Rich]

Look. Gerrard has not been made captain, Rio has, does it even matter what Gerrard did? I am sure some of your favourites have done some less than savoury things, Rio has been bad in the past, Rooney had the bollocks stamping thing even Beckham was shown to not be a saint (Red Card against Argentina, Rebecca Loos, etc...) and he was considered to be a great captain. The guys are footballers, not fucking saints.