Wayne Bridge

So: Wayne Bridge has decided to not put himself forward to be considered for this year's World Cup squad. Shocked? I was. I just don't quite understand the decision.

I mean, I understand the fact that he's obviously very upset by what's gone on and it would be quite difficult having to play with someone that's had an affair with your girlfriend. But it's the WORLD CUP!!! Thought I should emphasise that point because someone needs to. It only comes around once every four years, that means an average player will only get to play in the tournament a few times if he's lucky. It's a golden opportunity to shine on the world's stage, compete with other world class acts and most importantly, play for and represent your country. Fair enough, we don't know what is going on in Bridge's head at the moment or how he's coping with it all, but it is still quite difficult to understand the reasoning behind the decision, he made last week.

According to Bridge, his position in the squad has become "untenable and potentially divisive". Well if we are honest, it has already become divisive. But it wasn't Bridge that caused all the problems in the first place. It was Terry. So why is it that Bridge feels the need to eliminate himself from the squad when he hasn't done anything wrong? It doesn't really seem fair that ex-captain Terry gets to go ahead and play whilst Wayne must sit at home. But it doesn't have to be that way. It seems that Bridge has been pressurised into making this decision and the atmosphere surrounding the two at last weekend's game couldn't have made things any better.

To play for the World Cup and to represent your nation is an honour and a privilege. It is these kinds of tournaments that professionals dream about and the competition for a place in the final 11 is always tough. With Ashley Cole (who is having his own personal troubles at the moment - spot a trend here?), currently injured, you would expect Bridge to be the natural replacement. His decision has now put Capello in a bit of a problem as he must decide on who can fill Wayne's boots. There is no doubt that this personal situation has definitely made its way over to the pitch and is really affecting the national team.

As the England team prepare for the friendly against Egypt on Wednesday night, Capello will be assessing all his options and using the game as an opportunity to aid him in the decision making process. Some players who wish to go to South Africa may not get the opportunity to do so, so for them it may seem like a kick in the teeth that Bridge (one of the players who had been expected to go to the tournament), has backed out of such a prestigious opportunity. You would think that as professionals, they could just get on with it, after all you don't have to like each other. Maybe it's because they play in positions that are close to each other on the pitch and they must communicate but it's not like they are going to be communicating about anything other than tactics. Perhaps I'm being too harsh on Bridge but this whole Terry-Bridge situation has been blown up to mammoth proportions and really needs to be resolved. We saw what happened at the weekend when Bridge refused to shake hands with Terry - the media seemed to be more interested in that than in the actual game itself!

Capello has already made the decision to permanently strip John Terry of the captaincy and despite his behaviour of the pitch, he is a good centre back (although as of late, he hasn't been as consistent as usual - perhaps the pressure is getting to him too?). England need their defence to be rock solid if they are to do well. Then there's that thing again - team spirit. Will it ever be as good as it was during the qualifiers? Although, at this moment in time, it seems that Bridge won't be there, there are still Manchester City players in that dressing room and others who will be made to feel uncomfortable and awkward by Terry's presence.

Capello has also stated his intentions to speak with Bridge and attempt to make him reconsider his decision. At the end of the day, it is his, and only his decision to make but you just hope that when he retires from football, he doesn't look back and regret the choices he made. A World Cup is such a big deal that Bridge really does need to spend the time thinking carefully about his options. Whatever happens now, it is clear that this long running saga has not come to an end quite just yet...

John Terry

It appears that John Terry has been scoring away from home on two fronts; however whilst he was able to help Chelsea's title charge by grabbing a late winner against Burnley on Saturday, he put his future as England captain in jeopardy and also seems to have put England manager, Fabio Capello in a problematic situation.

First things first - with regards to the legal injunction that was imposed but then overturned - questions have been raised by those who believe that by overturning it, it was an invasion of privacy. However, the situation extends beyond John Terry's alleged affairs. His actions, as captain of England, have implications for the team itself and for the tournament in South Africa. Therefore, I believe it was right to overturn the injunction because it is no longer about one man, it is about the team. Also, the fact that Terry applied for an injunction in the first place, has created more publicity than would have been generated had he not done so.

Excluding morality and stripping the situation away from anything but football we are left with several problems because John Terry's liaison just happened to be with the former girlfriend of his ex-Chelsea teammate and fellow England player, Wayne Bridge. Fortunately for John Terry, Wayne Bridge no longer plays for Chelsea otherwise Carlo Ancelotti would be in a similar situation to Fabio Capello. With the team selection for the World Cup looming ever closer, Capello will be mindful of the situation and will have to make a decision regarding captaincy sooner rather than later. Ashley Cole seems like the first-choice left back for England at this moment in time, but he came off injured on Saturday and there is no doubt that Capello will be taking along a reserve left-back - most likely to be Wayne Bridge. Therefore, this begs the question, will Wayne Bridge be happy to play under the captaincy of Terry? They won't be playing too far apart on the pitch either, inevitably they will have to communicate and ensure the England defence holds firm. Of course, both players are professionals but it helps if you get on with your fellow teammates.

The situation poses a big threat to the spirit of the England team - Wayne Bridge appears to be a very popular member of the squad and Terry's actions have already resulted in warring factions with 'Team Terry' and 'Team Bridge' taking opposite sides. In addition, as captain and as a professional, Terry is supposed to be an example not only to his teammates but also to the younger generation of footballers. This latest string of revelations about the defender's private life will have done a massive amount of damage to his reputation both as a footballer, and as a role model.

There have been suggestions that Terry should do the 'right thing' and give up his captaincy so that Fabio Capello is no longer put in an awkward position. I tend to agree with this. Terry has already threatened the spirit of the England team enough, the best thing he can do to redeem the situation now is let Capello decide what can be done without being stuck in a problematic position. This may ease the tension in the dressing room somewhat as both footballers, no doubt, have friends in common who are also stuck in an awkward position. After all, it was his and only his own actions that put him in the position he finds himself in now with regards to his future role as captain. Only then, can Terry begin to somewhat salvage his damaged reputation.