He’s my hero of sorts, the integral piece of the attacking puzzle to my beloved Manchester United and my (adopted) country of England. He’s the bulldog who never gives up, the born leader with enough natural footballing talent to make the recently departed Cristiano Ronaldo raise an eye in disbelief and possibly realize United haven’t missed him quite as much as we all once thought. He carries the hopes of a nation and doesn’t even mind. He shrugs off pressure like he shrugs off central defenders. He won’t slow down, he loves playing too much. He’s uncommonly balanced an incredible on-field and quiet off-field life, all the while being tipped as the next world great,…. Even heroes make mistakes. As Paul Scholes was, well, Paul Scholes on...

…will be. Fabio has come out and stated he picked his strongest available side on Wednesday night against Egypt to scare their fellow North Africans Algeria who England face in their second group game of the World Cup on June 18th. Well Fabio that first half starting XI will have them pissing themselves. Seeing the performances of Brown, Upson, Terry, Lampard, Gerrard, Walcott et al, will have the urine flowing down their legs. Of course not in fear but pissing themselves laughing. © Toxic Web Learn to play CLASSIC guitar leads...

Fabio Capello has no right to tell his players to behave off the pitch – what they do in private is none of his business, or oursI know practically nothing about the game of football. Paradoxically, however, I have of late become very interested in the social milieu in which the game is played in this country. If football had remained the amateur working-class pastime which was how it began, my concern might have remained confined to its place in the social history of Great Britain. But as we all know, it has metamorphosed into a billion-pound, media-obsessed and media-hungry industry, in which the key workers – the players – can and do earn fantastic sums and can and do command huge popular followings. Does that mean that they lose their entitlement to rights that other British...

World Cup contender sparks sniggers After two goals against Egypt to add to his impressive international tally, you could forgive Peter Crouch for thinking he deserved a decent chance in the England side. But no - both the player and England coach Fabio Capello still find the idea of him being a regular England starter absolutely [...]...

The halcyon days of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s were apparently a boom time in England’s glorious history of great goalkeepers. From the benchmark that was the great Gordon Banks and his understudy, Peter Springett, to the rotation of Ray Clemence and Peter Shilton in the 70’s and early 1980’s, England always had a top class goalkeeper. As Chris Woods and then David Seaman continued the tradition, despite every other pundit claiming the English goalkeeper was a dying breed,  but until Seaman’s retirement from England duty in 2002, that looked an empty prediction. Since then England’s number one has rotated between David James, Paul Robinson, Scott Carson, with sporadic appearances from Robert Green, Ben Foster, Chris Kirkland and Joe Hart. An...

• Italian met Russian FA last week• Deal could more than double his net income The Russian Football Union has made an approach to Fabio Capello about leaving England after the World Cup in South Africa and taking up a new and highly lucrative position as coach of their national team.The new head of Russia's Football Union, Sergei Fursenko, flew to London to pursue Capello last week. He held informal talks with the England manager at Stamford Bridge last Saturday, meeting him during Chelsea's 4-2 home defeat to Manchester City.According to the Sovietsky Sport newspaper, Fursenko is keen for Capello to replace Guus Hiddink, who is taking over as the national coach of Turkey. The Dutchman's contract with Russia expires this June – with Russia now determined to find a "big name"...

…from England’s opposition. After an atrocious first half and then a not much better second half, after which England were flattered by a 3-1 scoreline against Egypt, who aren’t at the World Cup, last night, there was far too much talking up of the team and certain individuals in particular. Especially the captain and coach. After all it may have ended well but Fabio picked that starting XI, the eleven that he thought could do the job and it gave an indication of what he’ll pick come South Africa in June. Does any England fan want to head into that first game against the US with that lineup? Hell it could even get worse with the club games certain players will have between now and then. So lets start at the very back. Green? Why? Well Fabio said a while back he...

• Fabio Capello hails centre-back after victory over Egypt• Friendly was good preparation for World Cup, says ItalianFabio Capello praised John Terry's strength of character after the deposed England captain recovered from a nervous start to impose his influence on this contest and help the hosts ease to an ultimately comfortable victory.Terry had been subjected to boos from a minority of the supporters in the national stadium when his name was read out over the public address system prior to kick-off, and there were some jeers when his first touch was a misplaced pass that sent the ball skidding out of play. Yet, by the end, his confidence had visibly returned as he barked orders to his team-mates, with the barracking long forgotten and England reassured by his presence.The player...

Fabio’s creepy standing sleep England’s disappointing first-half against Egypt sent their coach to sleep on the touchline. Fabio Capello enjoyed a quick standing up nap....

The Manchester United star on life outside football, the World Cup Wags – and finding out he was England's new captain from the TV newsI've only just arrived in Alderley Edge, the village in Cheshire where Premier League footballers live in pavilioned splendour, when some bloke in an Audi sports car charging out of the car park at 70mph almost mows me down. Welcome to Wag Central, where the Range Rovers all have tinted windows and only the toughest and brashest survive.The Wags are out in force in the Village Café (next to a boutique called POSH): improbably thin, with luxuriant hair, cradling coffees and small children. I'm here to meet Rio Ferdinand, but the injury-plagued England captain has gone to see his osteopath and put our meeting back two hours, so I wait, drinking...

• England manager says good behaviour is paramount• Steven Gerrard says squad will follow Capello instructionsFabio Capello has warned his England players that they must make sacrifices off the pitch over the next three months to avoid any repeat of the recent controversies that have threatened to deflect the national team's attention from this summer's World Cup finals.The Italian pinpointed the wealth lavished on young players in the modern game as the root of the problems which have flared up too often to wreck the reputations of the likes of Ashley Cole and John Terry, his deposed captain, over the past month.The England manager will seek evidence that standards have not slipped on the pitch against Egypt this evening having reminded his squad of their wider responsibilities with...

• Capello not concerned about Chelsea defender's form• Manager keeps door open for Wayne Bridge and Joe ColeFabio Capello has challenged John Terry to still be a leader within the England squad despite losing the captaincy and called on fans not to boo the Chelsea defender against Egypt tomorrow. There are fears of a fans' backlash against Terry at Wembley but Capello echoed Wayne Rooney's words in urging Three Lions supporters not to hound the player."I think the fans have to support every moment," Capello said. "You have to understand that privately some players were not so good, but on the pitch it is different. We wear the England shirt and it is really important they help us every moment. I hope that tomorrow the crowd help us and do not boo him."The England manager, speaking...

Tomorrow sees that magical mark of 100 days until the 19th World Cup begins and the chase for places outside of the main names is really beginning to hot up. Fabio Capello will probably have a definite idea of around 10 names who will certainly be on the plane to South Africa injury willing. James, Terry, Ferdinand, Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Rooney, Defoe, Milner and Beckham will probably be certain of inclusion but for once, the rest of the squad would seem to be all to play for. Over the next few days, I’ll be casting my eye over some of the outsiders and squad players who will be hoping to be involved this summer and make a real name for themselves. Some may be reliant on players failing to recover from injury, some will be hoping to force themselves in to the reckoning and some...

• Terry sacked as captain after failing 'to set an example'• England manager will ask Wayne Bridge to reconsiderFabio Capello has told John Terry that the Chelsea player will never captain England again while he is in charge and says he has not given up hope of Wayne Bridge returning to international duty.The England manager stripped Terry of the honour following revelations of the defender's alleged affair with the mother of Wayne Bridge's young son.The speculation surrounding Terry's relationship with Vanessa Perroncel proved to be so hurtful for Bridge that he now feels his position within the England squad is "untenable" and has no longer made himself available for international duty.Capello is still hoping Bridge will change his mind. However, the manager has made it perfectly...

Ay up, Fabio. Hopefully there are not too many ways in which Fabio Capello feels he needs to emulate Steve McClaren in order to succeed in the England job, but apparently being from Yorkshire is one of them. So much so that in an interview with CNN he decided to trial his new Yarkshur accent. Thanks to [...]...

Man City defender uses one of our Nouveau Cliches to quit international football As you might have head, Wayne Bridge has announced that he is making himself unavailable for selection for future England matches. That’s The Artist Formerly Known As Retiring From International Football to me and you. Bridge had been keeping very quiet about the situation [...]...

Wayne Bridge today declared that he is ruling himself out of contention for the World Cup.  In a short statement this morning the Manchester City defender claimed that his presence within the England squad was potentially divisive and as such, he did not wish to be selected.It would seem that Bridge has done some soul-searching and decided that it is an impossible situation for him to play alongside his former friend and ex-captain.  Fabio Capello was questioned earlier today on his return to England from South Africa and refused to make a comment.The decision also means that Capello is without his first and second choice left-backs for the Egypt friendly and attention will turn to Stephen Warnock and Leighton Baines, both of whom should get some minutes on the pitch...

…that is your elbow. As I posted yesterday England manager Fabio Capello was insistent that there was nothing wrong and that Wayne Bridge would not only be in the England squad for the friendly against Egypt next week but would be flying out with the rest of the team to South Africa for the World Cup finals. Wayne on the other hand has a different take on it… I have thought long and hard about my position in the England football team in the light of the reporting and events over the last few weeks. It has always been an honour to play for England. However, after careful thought I believe my position in the squad is now untenable and potentially divisive. Sadly therefore I feel for the sake of the team and in order to avoid what will be inevitable distractions, I have decided...

…Wayne? I imagine those the words Fabio Capello used to comfort poor inconsolable Wayne Bridge as the England manager patted him on the head and confirmed the Citeh fullback will not only be in his squad for next week’s friendly against Egypt but will also be on the flight to South Africa in the summer. When Capello was introduced as the England manager he trotted out the same old line we’d heard before. There’d be no favourites and players would have to be fit, on form and playing for their country. We soon found out this was this same old line was the same old pony. This week he said… Wayne Bridge will be at the World Cup – yes, why not? Cole and Bridge are the best left-backs that we have, so why not? – Fabio Capello Now Bridge has just returned...

The Marquis De Sade was never short of a quote or two, but one that currently could be applied to certain members of Chelsea’s first team squad at the current time sprang to mind after today’s latest off field crisis at Stamford Bridge. “Lust is to the other passions what the nervous fluid is to life; it supports them all, lends strength to them all ambition, cruelty, avarice, revenge, are all founded on lust.” Now if there is one thing that I can’t abide in these celebrity soaked times, it is the celebrity sex scandal. Unfortunately, at this current time in the U.K., we can’t escape them Especially when it seems to be a repeat performance emanating from the Kings Road in West London with a tiresome familiarity. Here we are, on the cusp of a World Cup,...

With just over 15 weeks left until the 19th World Cup begins in South Africa and one player is making a real case to force his way in to the starting line up. Joe Hart could have been put out by Manchester City signing Shay Given last January, a smack in the face for his aspirations to make himself City’s number one. Thankfully for Hart, Alex McLeish rode to the rescue in the summer taking the young stopper to Birmingham City on a season long loan and what an inspired piece of business it has turned out to be. Of course, at the beginning of the season, Hart seemed a little unsure of his surroundings and his place at St. Andrews but over the last few months, he has been head and shoulders above every other English goalkeeper in the Premiership. Week by week, Hart’s...

Who’s Layton? Everton fans have started a Twitter hash-tag campaign to get their left-back Leighton Baines into Fabio Capello’s England squad. Unfortunately, they spelt his name incorrectly in the trending tag. The #LaytonBainesForEngland tag was retweeted by several Evertonians before the spelling error was spotted. The tweeter behind the campaign has since unleashed a new #LeightonBainesForEngland tag [...]...

…doomed. Ashley Cole has broken his ankle, it’s all over the dream has ended before it began.” Lurcio: “Never mind her, that’s Senna the soothsayer, she’s always at it, woe woe and thrice woeing that is. I don’t know what she’s bothering about, yes I know Cashley has a duff ankle, that’ll keep him out until the World Cup but that’s why our great leader, Hail Caesar, played all those understudies in the meaningless games, to test them, see they’re up to the job. He didn’t just pick his favourites to play game after game now did he. Oh, right, I see where she’s going with this one. Now if you listen to Senna and Plautus, this really puts us in an awkward situation, what with Cole being the bestest leftback...

• Fractured ankle likely to keep left-back out till May• Fabio Capello unlikely to gamble on half-fit playerFabio Capello's World Cup preparations suffered a major setback tonight after the England left-back Ashley Cole, one of his proven world-class players, was ruled out for three months with a fractured ankle, leaving him only weeks to prove his fitness before the tournament begins."It is sad news for me because he is a very important player," the England coach said last night. "He is good when he is defending and really dangerous when we go forward. I hope this problem will not be so strong [serious]."The injury to England's first-choice left-back increases the likelihood of Wayne Bridge and John Terry, whose relationship has been sundered by the Chelsea captain's alleged affair...

…Hissing Sid. So the media got their pound of flesh last Friday, when Fabio took that famous 12 minutes to relieve John Terry of that little elastic armband. And those bastions of upstanding piety and virtue cheered. And that’s what mattered most in all those, those in the media, after all it was all based on some bloke shagging some other bloke’s ex. Now most people out there are pretty much someone’s ex, Ann Widdecombe excluded of course. So in reality it wasn’t based on that, it was based on the fact those individuals didn’t take too kindly to Terry’s lawyers not only banning them from reporting the shagging but also banned them from reporting the fact they couldn’t report the shagging. Think of poor Wayne Bridge, I mean it’ll be...

• England face awkward derby against John Toshack's Wales• Scotland draw European champions Spain in tough groupFabio Capello claimed his side would "not be able to play a single qualifying game relaxed" but privately the national manager might concede that England's prospects of qualifying for the 2012 European Championship appear far from daunting.The draw for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine cast England into one of the three groups of five teams, with Switzerland the only other side to have qualified for the summer's World Cup finals. They avoided any energy-sapping trips to the furthest reaches of the continent and, although Wales will provide an awkward local challenge, Capello will be confident of seeing off a side ranked 76th in the world.The Welsh have not beaten the...

• Decision is best for the team, says Capello• Vanessa Perroncel says she will not sell her storyA day that began with yet more news­paper allegations of impropriety ended today with England captain John Terry stripped of the captaincy by Fabio Capello because it was "best for the team".In the shadow of the Wembley Stadium arch, Capello ended a saga which has made news for a week by informing Terry he had run out of road following his alleged affair with an international teammate's former girlfriend and a series of other stories."After much thought, I have made the decision that it will be best for me to take the captaincy away from John Terry," said Capello. He replaced him with vice-captain Rio Ferdinand. "As a captain with the team, John Terry has displayed extremely positive...

• Manchester United defender promoted from vice-captain• Ferdinand to lead England at World Cup in South AfricaRio Ferdinand will be the next England captain and will lead the national side in the World Cup this summer, after John Terry was today relieved of the position by Fabio Capello.The Manchester United defender had been Capello's vice-captain and will take over the armband following Terry's alleged affair with the former partner of Wayne Bridge. The Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard will become vice-captain."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."For Ferdinand, the promotion completes a remarkable rise rehabilitation for his international career. In 2003,...

It seems that Fabio had already made his mind up and todays meeting lasted just 12 minutes. I think it probably is the right decision, mostly because of his actions having an effect on an England team mate in Wayne Bridge.Congratulations to Rio, who I suspected would be an England and Man Utd captain one day, and I also suspect he will want to quickly make people forget how he became Captain by putting in some strong performances.Hopefully we can all focus on the World Cup...

• Defender stripped of position after Wembley meeting • Capello lines up Rio Ferdinand as replacementJohn Terry was today stripped of the England captaincy by Fabio Capello during a 12-minute meeting at Wembley Stadium this afternoon.Capello made it clear that while Terry's conduct on the field had been exactly what he wanted when he appointed him captain in August 2008, the recent headlines about his personal life and, specifically, an alleged relationship with Vanessa Perroncel, the ex-girlfriend of Terry's former Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge, left him with little choice other than to relieve Terry of the captaincy.Capello said: "After much thought I have made the decision that it will be best for me to take the captaincy away from John Terry.""As a captain with the team, Terry...

• England manager to demand facts from captain• Captaincy decision expected to be based on football factorsFabio Capello will demand full ­disclosure from John Terry before ­deciding if he is the man to captain England at the World Cup finals in June.The England manager flew into Heath­row on Thursday and, amid continuing tabloid revelations about the private lives of Terry and his Chelsea team-mates, is believed to be determined to ensure he has all the facts at his disposal before ­making a decision on whether the defender should remain as captain.Capello is set to meet Terry today after Chelsea's training session and ask him to declare any other skeletons in his closet. It will be the first time the pair have met since Terry's position as captain became a national talking point...

• England manager touches down ahead of captaincy decision• Italian is expected to meet with Chelsea defender tomorrowFabio Capello arrived back in Britain today to face the biggest decision so far of his tenure as England manager over the future of his captain, John Terry.Capello flew in from Switzerland, where he has been recovering from a knee operation, to meet his right-hand man, Franco Baldini, and make contact with Terry, who is under pressure to resign as the national side's captain following his alleged affair with the former girlfriend of his England team-mate Wayne Bridge. He is expected to meet Terry in person tomorrow.The Football Association has made clear that Capello alone will decide the 29-year-old Chelsea defender's fate. Terry's spokesman Phil Hall said yesterday:...

• FA eager to avoid media circus over latest scandal• Terry distraught over potential damage to his careerFabio Capello will tomorrow fly back to London to face the biggest decision of his reign as England manager over the future of John Terry, as the Football Association drew up plans to try to avoid a media circus reminiscent of other scandals that have gripped the organisation in recent years.Terry was said to be distraught over the potential damage to his career in a World Cup year and the effect the affair has had on his family, with his wife, Toni, forced to appeal to the Press Complaints Commission to quell the scrum of photographers that has followed her and their three-year-old twins to Dubai.Capello will return from Switzerland, where he has been recuperating from knee...

• Terry denies he has made any statement about England future• Fabio Capello to return to London tomorrowJohn Terry has no intention of speaking publicly about his status as England captain before meeting the national team's manager, Fabio Capello. Terry issued a brief statement this afternoon insisting he was "keeping his own counsel" over the allegations about his private life that have plunged him into a media storm.The Chelsea player has faced calls for his resignation as international captain following allegations that he had an affair with the former partner of his England team-mate Wayne Bridge.Referring to reports this afternoon saying that Terry would not offer to resign his spokesman, Phil Hall, said: "John Terry asked me to make it clear that he has made absolutely no...

…it’s all he could get. After John Terry’s wife, Toni Poole Terry, found out about his affair with ex-Chelsea team mate Wayne Bridge’s girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel, she allegedly went mental… …and this is the only ad those in his management team that were hawking Terry’s services around in that email last years could manage to get him after the ruckus. © Toxic Web “Ultimate Guitar Speed Learning System” The Fastest & Easiest Way to Accelerate your Guitar Playing Click here to check it out NOW! It’s got heaps of hot tips & tricks....

• Fabio Capello back on Thursday to settle England captaincy• Terry already put his case to manager's right-hand manJohn Terry yesterday pleaded his case to Fabio Capello's staff and should know by the end of the week whether he will retain the England captaincy in the wake of the avalanche of criticism which has greeted allegations that he had an affair with the former girlfriend of his international team-mate Wayne Bridge.Terry has made contact with Capello's right-hand man, Franco Baldini, who in his capacity as general manager will speak to both players before meeting Capello on Friday in a bid to draw a line under an affair that threatens to have a hugely destabilising effect in the run-up to the World Cup.Capello, who has been in Switzerland following surgery on his knee, is due...

• Captain's role is remit of head coach, says governing body• Capello will deal with matter in his own way, says spokesmanThe Football Association has confirmed that the England manager, Fabio Capello, alone will decide on John Terry's international future following allegations about the captain's private life."Fabio is fully up to speed with developments regarding John Terry," an FA spokesman told the governing body's website"He spoke with our chairman, Lord Triesman, and chief executive, Ian Watmore, today, who both backed him to make the best decision for England on footballing grounds. Fabio is dealing with the matter in his own way using his extensive experience as a football manager."Capello returns to England this week and will travel to Warsaw for the Euro 2012 qualifying...

Joining James in the pod today, Barry Glendenning, John Ashdown and Paolo Bandini are on hand to offer their expertise.Is it back to a two-horse race for the Premier League title? Plus, who's for the drop? After allegations about his private life, can and should John Terry hold on to the England captaincy?Sid Lowe in Madrid rounds up the latest from the Spanish league. He discusses 'the heel of God' as well as picking poppies.There's also the latest from Italy, including Adrian Mutu failing a drug test.As Egypt win the Africa Cup of Nations, the pod is bewildered by the latest decision to come from its governing body.And also up for discussion: the great east Midlands derby brouhaha, and Barry being the focus of an Irish radio station's phone-in.WARNING: contains strong language. Got...

…you know there’s no case to answer. Now as Sports Minister, Gerry Sutcliffe is a non-entity of a human being, never mind politician, just another clown in a long list of clowns to hold that job – except of course Kate Hoey even with her Woolwich scum associations – I mean he’s a subordinate in a department headed by Ben Bradshaw that contains Siôn Simon for christ’s sake. So I don’t know anything about Mr. Sutcliffe’s record on moralising before he started off about John Terry, of which more allegations have arisen with another slapper. For example I don’t know if he came out and took a stand against the then Foreign Secretary, the political face of our nation abroad, Robin Cook shagging a member of his staff behind his wife’s...

Like most of you, I have been shaking my head at the revelations that have come to light regarding John Terry’s personal life, and more specifically it’s encroachment into Wayne Bridge’s personal life. The judge who presided of the attempted injunction made clear his feeling that John Terry had been more concerned about how this may affect his income through his sponsorships than he was of the feelings of those involved. The question now is this; should JT now carry on as England Captain?I think when we ask this question the situation becomes murkier, because it wouldn’t matter if Terry resigned or was asked to step aside the problem becomes who would be asked to step into the breach? Well, that is open to debate, but the leading candidates are not exactly covering themselves in...