Fabio Capello says Wayne Bridge can still change mind over World Cup

Posted Friday, March 19, 2010 by theguardian.com

Fabio Capello says Wayne Bridge can still change mind over World Cup
Fabio Capello took the England captaincy off John Terry after revelations about the player's affair with Wayne Bridge's former girlfriend.

Fabio Capello remains hopeful that Wayne Bridge will reverse his decision to pull out of the England squad. The Manchester City left-back Bridge announced that he did not want to be considered for selection following revelations of an affair between John Terry and Vanessa Perroncel, Bridge's former girlfriend and the mother of his child. But Capello has revealed his belief that the announcement was motivated by anger and his hope that time could yet prove a healer in the build-up to this summer's World Cup.

Bridge pulled out of the England squad on 25 January, claiming that his inclusion would be "untenable and potentially divisive". Capello immediately released a statement through the Football Association saying that the door would always be open. Now, he has expressed his hope that having overcome the initial shock, Bridge will reconsider his position before June.

"Wayne Bridge was very wound up, very angry, when he made the decision," Capello told the Spanish channel Gol Televisión. "There is still time for him to change his mind." Bridge is currently out of action for a month following a hernia operation.

Asked if it was hard to take the armband off Terry, Capello replied: "No. Players and fans want the captain's armband to be worn by an exemplary player. They want the captain to be an example for young children. What happened with Terry wasn't good. I saw him at Wembley and we spoke about [the affair] and we spoke about football. It was fine. He understood [my decision]. I explained to him that he could not continue as captain but I also told him that he would continue to be a leader on the pitch and an important player because a coach needs a player like that."

The England coach confirmed that he has asked David Beckham to join the squad in South Africa, even though the Milan midfielder will miss out on the tournament because of a torn achilles tendon. Capello said of Beckham: "He is an important player for us; he never caused any problems whatsoever. Whether he played 10, 15 or 20 minutes, he always had the same attitude and he was always ready. He was an important man in the dressing room. In fact, we have asked David to be with us in South Africa; if he wants to, he can come with us. It depends on him and it depends on how he feels with his achilles. But we know he can't play now for six months. I hope he comes back fit afterwards."

In Beckham's absence Capello's options on the right side of midfield have shortened but he has been impressed with the response of two players. "Last year Theo Walcott who was the player that most surprised me – he was very important during qualifying," the England coach said. "This year [James] Milner from Aston Villa has played a number of games with us and he is very important.

"But the most important player is Wayne Rooney. He scores lots of goals; he finishes everything. Players need time. Rooney started at Everton at 16 and he has matured. Right now, his form is incredible and I hope he can maintain that level until South Africa. There are three players who are on a different level at the moment. One is [Lionel] Messi, one is Cristiano Ronaldo and one is Rooney. They are a step above everyone else in the world."