Back as captain, Terry wary of becoming fall-guy

Posted Thursday, March 24, 2011 by chinadaily.com

Terry would have skippered England in South Africa had newspapers not published allegations in February 2010 that he had an affair with teammate Wayne Bridge's former girlfriend.

That allegations led to Bridge quitting international football and Terry is still refusing to make peace with the left back, who infamously refused to shake hands with him when they met on the pitch before a Premier League match.

"No," Terry bluntly responded when asked if he had a message Tuesday for Bridge.

Being removed from a football role for moral reasons still sits uncomfortably with Terry. Capello complained he was no longer a role model for youngsters.

"I didn't agree with the decision, which I told them (Capello and general manager Franco Baldini) face to face, but I said I respected their decision and I'll continue to work hard," Terry recalled. "But once they spoke to me _ and once again it's difficult for legal reasons to go into detail _ I just felt I didn't deserve to lose the armband."

While accepting no blame for the initial controversy, Terry believes he has changed.

"I'd like to think I've personally kept my head down," the 30-year-old Terry said. "As we get older, we live and learn, we move on. As a man, as a player, we can see I've moved on, on and off the field."

But the U-turn has prompted suggestions that Capello's authority _ already diminished after a dismal World Cup _ has faded further.

"Capello clearly felt Terry's reputation or behavior did not make him an appropriate captain for England, so he took his decision," Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish wrote at the weekend. "Where the confusion lies is he has now overturned that decision. It raises a lot of questions. If John was an unsuitable captain a year ago, what has changed now?"

Back as captain, Terry wary of becoming fall-guy
England captain John Terry (R) meets Arsenal's Faye White before an England team training session in London Colney, north of London March 22, 2011.

What is so baffling is that Capello has put his neck on the line by reinstating Terry to the captaincy when the Italian had previously dismissed the importance of a job that is normally handed to the most-capped player in his homeland.

"Different countries have different attitudes," Terry said. "Carlo (Ancelotti) doesn't understand it at Chelsea, either. He would otherwise give someone the armband and just tell them to get on with it. Italians are very different."

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