England Captaincy

Well, it seems that Fabio Capello has made a decision regarding the issue that has been dominating both the front and back pages of the papers this week - whether Terry should remain captain of England or whether he should be stripped of the honour.

Capello has, in my opinion, rightly, decided to take control of the situation before it can deteriorate any further and after talking to Terry, has decided to strip him of his captaincy. I, like many other supporters fully back his decision not based on moral grounds but on football grounds as this is what the decision is based on after all. However, there are some who believe it's the wrong decision. One fan on the BBC Sports Website, believes the decision is ridiculous and we should not care about what goes on in Terry's private life. Yes, we shouldn't but when it concerns the England team who are preparing to enter a World Cup tournament and when Terry's private life also concerns that of another teammate, then we should care, for the well-being of the team.

In my opinion, Capello's handling of the situation exemplifies his no-nonsense, hard-nosed character and his serious attitude to the job and he is just the type of manager that England need but have been lacking in previous years. This is not to say that previous England managers were not serious enough, but Capello has the distinct knack of being able to manage the players as footballers and as people too. He demands respect and he gets it, more so than other managers who have held the same post before. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the right man to ensure that the England boys concentrate solely on the football side of things and Terry really can blame no one but himself for Capello's decision.

The question therefore remains as to who will be the next England captain. Rio Ferdinand is the hot favourite; he is currently England's vice-captain but lately a string of injuries has prevented him from playing regularly for Manchester United. There is also Steven Gerrard, however concerns have been raised regarding the charges made against him for assault last year. David Beckham has not been mentioned as such because he is not a regular for the England team. Whoever becomes captain, however, will shoulder a lot of responsibility and they will have to make sure they don't make the same mistakes as John Terry and allow private matters to extend to the pitch, if they are to be successful in their role as leader of the national side.