Photo Johnny Terry Wiki CCA
No, we’re not going to try to throw any light on what he was thinking over the last few months - but the tabloids are certainly are going to have a go. And doubtless after reading this morning’s stories on Terry’s position on the England captaincy, things will be much, much clearer:
Daily Star: John Terry ready to quit as England captain
JOHN TERRY is on the verge of quitting as England captain.
John Terry spent the weekend considering his future after lurid details of his affair with Wayne Bridge’s ex-girlfriend came to light.
The Chelsea defender will speak with England coach Fabio Capello and FA officials today to discover their thoughts on the latest off-field problem to engulf him.
However, Starsport understands he is close to giving up the job he treasures most in an effort to save squad morale ahead of the World Cup this summer. And that resignation could even come as early as today, as the pressure for him to be sacked continues to grow.
… which has nothing to do with its constant repetition in the newspapers, does it? And incidentally, what are these calls for him to quit, and how strongly do we feel? According to a YouGov poll, reported in the Telegraph:
A YouGov poll commissioned by ITV found that 51 per cent of men believed the England captain should resign, compared with 41 per cent of women.
In total, 46 per cent of those polled said Terry should give up the captaincy, with 40 per cent believing that he should stay on.
Pretty even, then, unless you read the Guardian, whose online poll currently runs at 37-63 in favour of Terry retaining the captaincy. But since as we all know polls mean essentially nothing given that they are completely unscientific and can be massively manipulated according to the framing of the question or the selection of people who feel motivated to vote or the information or lack thereof that they possess before making the decision, let’s turn our attention back to the beginning. Terry’s ready to quit. At least, thanks to the Daily Star and their unatrributed understanding, we know that much. However, the Mirror sail a slightly different course:
Mirror: Terry: I will never quit
John Terry will tell Fabio Capello he never wants to quit the England captaincy.
The Chelsea skipper has weighed up his position in the wake of his alleged fling with England team-mate Wayne Bridge’s former girlfriend. But with the FA confirming that Capello will take the final decision after meeting Terry on Saturday, the defender is set to tell the coach he wants to keep the armband.
“Jt has wanted to be England captain since he was a kid, so if people think he’s going to give that up they’ve got another think coming,” said a close friend yesterday. “His life off the pitch has got nothing to do with his abilities as a player or as a captain.
“He believes he can still do the job on the pitch - and that’s all that matters in his eyes. You tell me a better man to lead England? There isn’t one.”
Which leaves only one issue outstanding - does an unattributed ‘understanding’ trump the testimony of a ‘close friend’?
