If the FA thought that by removing John Terry from the England captaincy would put the ugly spectre of racism in football aside for a while, it seems they are destined for disappointment.
Injury deprived Terry of a place in the Chelsea side that drew 3—3 with Manchester United on Sunday, removing the possible embarrassment of seeing him and Rio Ferdinand on the same pitch.
As the elder brother of QPR’s Anton Ferdinand — the player Terry is alleged to have racially abused in a league match in October — United’s Rio Ferdinand would have been in a difficult position.
On Friday, the former England captain said he did not want to replace Terry as captain, angry at the way the armband was taken from him in the first place in 2010.
But while Terry did not play in a match that saw United come from 3—0 down to 3—3 to keep their Premier League title hopes very much alive, the 31—year—old’s name cannot be kept out of the news.
On Sunday night it was the turn of England manager Fabio Capello to weigh in and the FA will have been cringing with his every word.
“I completely disagree with the FA about the John Terry decision and I have told that to the chairman,” Capello told Italian television station Rai Uno.
“I considered and still consider Terry as the England captain. I think we first should wait for the trial conclusion.” Terry’s trial is due to take place on July 9, eight days after the conclusion of Euro 2012.
Capello is free to pick Terry for that squad, a squad which also seems likely to include Wayne Rooney, even though the United striker is banned for the first two matches.
Rooney scored two of United’s three goals as they stayed within two points of leaders Manchester City.
“Of course it’s two points lost, but the Manchester City players at home watching the game won’t enjoy the way we fought back,” Rooney said. “They can see we’ve got spirit and we will be there with them until the end.” The decision to remove Terry as captain, meanwhile, was widely praised by leading figures in the game.
“I think the FA had to take the lead,” said Mark Lawrenson, a former Liverpool player turned BBC pundit.
“They keep hitting us with stuff about respect and racism, and quite rightly. They don’t have to worry about Capello, he’s gone in June. I think they have been very proactive under David Bernstein (the chairman).” It was Bernstein who spoke to Capello to inform the manager about Terry.
The Italian must now decide whether to pick Terry for England’s next match, the friendly against the Netherlands at Wembley on February 29.
Pick him, and Capello will be reiterating his message but risking disenchantment in the dressing room. Leave him out, and he risks forcing Terry into international retirement.
“I think we’ll see him (Terry) in an England shirt again,” Lawrenson said. “But at the moment he’s not sure of getting in the team.”
