CAPELLO STRIPS TERRY OF CAPTAINCY

John Terry has been sacked as England captain.

The 29-year-old was informed of the decision by Fabio Capello during a brief meeting at Wembley on Friday afternoon. The decision comes after allegations surrounding the Chelsea skipper's private life came to light.

"After much thought I have made the decision that it will be best for me to take the captaincy away from John Terry," said the Italian in a statement.


Capello made it clear that while Terry's conduct on the field had been exactly what he wanted when he made his decision to appoint the central defender as skipper in August 2008, recent headlines about his personal life left him with little choice other than to remove the honour from the Barking-born player.

It is alleged that Terry had an affair with Vanessa Perroncel, the ex-girlfriend of England team-mate Wayne Bridge, also a former club-mate of Terry's at Chelsea.

"As a captain with the team, John Terry has displayed extremely positive behaviour," added Capello.

"However, I have to take into account other considerations and what is best for all of the England squad.

"What is best for all of the England team has inspired my choice and John Terry was notified first."


Although Capello has not clarified whether he still intends to select Terry, it is Rio Ferdinand who will replace the Chelsea man, with Steven Gerrard acting as his deputy.

"When I chose John Terry as captain, I also selected a vice-captain and also named a third choice," said Capello.

"There is no reason to change this decision.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the FA, particularly Lord David Triesman and Ian Watmore for allowing me to make this decision in my own time and in the best interest of the team."


Capello has only been in the job for just over two years but it is a measure of his standing within the English game that both FA chairman Lord Triesman and chief executive Watmore were happy to let him make the judgement.

Equally, team sponsors Nationwide have been quick to offer their support.

"The captaincy of the England football team is a matter for Fabio Capello and the Football Association. It is not a matter for the team sponsor," said Nationwide spokesman Chris Hull.

"These are private matters and not a matter for Nationwide. Nationwide is the England team sponsor and not the sponsor of any one individual."


Terry kept his own comments brief. However, he had little option other than to accept Capello's decision and gave a broad hint that he would continue to be involved with the national team.

"I fully respect Fabio Capello's decision," Terry said in a statement released to Press Association Sport.

"I will continue to give everything for England."


Terry kept his own comments brief. However, he had little option other than to accept Capello's decision and gave a broad hint that he would continue to be involved with the national team.

"I fully respect Fabio Capello's decision," Terry said in a statement released to Press Association Sport.

"I will continue to give everything for England."


The words disguise what is bound to be a bitter blow for Terry, and not a decision Capello would have taken lightly.

When most pundits expected the Italian to name Ferdinand as his skipper Capello felt the Chelsea star was better at galvanising the players around him.

Terry has done everything asked of him on the pitch as England have marched on towards this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

But there have been issues away from the pitch that have not sat easily with the suits at the FA.

Both Terry's parents have been in the headlines for the wrong reasons, while the defender himself was accused of using his role as England skipper for personal gain when an agency he was linked to included his status in an e-mail offering the player's services to enhance their business.

Terry emerged unscathed from all of this but last Friday, when a super-injunction, preventing details of an alleged affair with Vanessa Perroncel from being reported, was lifted by the High Court began the damage.

As the former girlfriend of Wayne Bridge and mother of the defender's son, Perroncel's name brought with it a whiff of scandal that only intensified with Terry's efforts to keep the affair out of the public domain.

At home in Switzerland, where he was recovering from major knee surgery, Capello could only look on aghast as the drip-feed of anti-Terry stories continued.


As trusted assistant Franco Baldini gauged reaction from various figures across the country, including Bridge's club boss at Manchester City, Roberto Mancini, Capello was told by senior FA figures he had full control over the decision.

Although Capello needed time, he was also aware the matter needed to be dealt with prior to his departure for Warsaw on Saturday ahead of Sunday's Euro 2012 draw.

He therefore called Terry to Wembley on Friday afternoon for a meeting that consigned the Chelsea star to his new role as ex-England skipper.




JOHN TERRY FACTFILE


1980 - December 7: Born in London.

1998 - October 28: Makes Chelsea debut against Aston Villa.

2000 - Has a two-month loan spell at Nottingham Forest.

2001 - September - Terry is one of four players fined two weeks' wages by Chelsea after their behaviour at a Heathrow hotel is criticised on the day after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

2002 - Terry and Chelsea team-mate Jody Morris are cleared after being charged with assault and affray in connection with a nightclub incident. Terry, uncapped at the time, is ruled out of the World Cup after the Football Association decide he should not be considered for international duty with England until the legal case is completed. Chelsea fine both Terry and Morris for being out late less than 48 hours before an FA Cup third-round tie at Norwich.

2002 - May 4: Part of Chelsea side who lose FA Cup final to Arsenal.

2003 - June 3: Makes England debut against Serbia and Montenegro, coming on as a half-time substitute.

2004 - June 24: Penalised for foul on Portugal goalkeeper Ricardo, denying Sol Campbell a winner in the European Championship quarter-final.

August 15: Appointed Chelsea captain, succeeding Marcel Desailly.

2005 - April: Chelsea win Premiership.

2006 - April: Plays in the final game of title-winning season - a 3-0 win over rivals Manchester United.

August 10 - Chosen as new England captain by head coach Steve McClaren to replace David Beckham.

August 16 - England beat Greece 4-0 in a friendly in Terry's first game as captain, with the defender scoring the first goal of the new era.

October 11 - Suffers his first defeat as England skipper, 2-0 in Croatia in a Euro 2008 qualifier.

November 30 - Charged with improper conduct by the Football Association for comments about referee Graham Poll. Later admits the charge and is reprimanded and fined £10,000.

2007 - February 25: Knocked unconscious during the Carling Cup final victory over Arsenal when Abou Diaby's foot accidentally connects with his head.

June 1 - Scores his first senior England goal at the new Wembley in 1-1 draw with Brazil.

July 27 - Signs a new five-year deal with Chelsea.

September 29 - Suffers broken cheekbone in a match against Fulham.

October 19 - Undergoes surgery on a knee injury which rules him out of England's crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia, Russia and Croatia.

December 16 - Breaks a foot in a challenge with Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue, and misses two months of action, including England's first match under new manager Fabio Capello.

2008 - March 25: Loses out as Rio Ferdinand is named England captain for friendly against France.

May 21 - Misses penalty in shoot-out against Manchester United which would have won Chelsea the Champions League. Manchester United win the shoot-out and Terry admits he will be "haunted forever" by the miss.

May 27 - Named England captain for England's friendly against the USA.

August 19 - Named as permanent captain of England by coach Fabio Capello ahead of friendly against Czech Republic at Wembley.

August 28 - Named UEFA's defender of the year.

November 19 - Scores fifth England goal against Germany in a friendly.


2009 - February 15: Chelsea and Terry dismiss media reports of a move to Manchester City, with the player saying: "I have always said that I want to end my career at the club which I love."

2009 - April 1: Scores in the 2-1 World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.

May - Former Blues midfielder Claude Makelele claims in a book that Terry played a part in Jose Mourinho's exit from Chelsea. Terry refutes Makelele's suggestions.

July - Manchester City make renewed contact over Terry, seeing at least two bids for the player turned down.

July 26 - Terry releases a statement confirming neither he nor Chelsea considered Manchester City's offers and insisting he is "totally committed" to the club.

December 20 - Chelsea defend Terry after allegations he took secret cash payments to lay on a behind-the- scenes tour of the club's training ground.

2010 - January 29: Terry named as the sportsman behind a gagging injunction involving his private life. A court order had previously been in place, covering an alleged relationship between married Terry and French underwear model Vanessa Perroncel.

January 30: Terry scores the winning goal in Chelsea's 2-1 win at Burnley but does not smile as he is congratulated by team-mates. Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti confirms that Terry will remain captain of the club.

January 31: Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe says that if the allegations against Terry are proven they call into question his role as England captain.

February 1: The FA says England manager Fabio Capello alone will decide whether Terry remains as England captain.

February 3: Terry's spokesman Phil Hall says Terry will make no announcement regarding his future as England captain before meeting Capello.

February 5: Terry is axed as England captain following a meeting with Capello.