Sign if you’re sorry Chelsea skipper John Terry was the victim of a wind-up attempt to trick him into apologising to Wayne Bridge by a cheeky autograph hunter. The fan tried to convince an understandably sceptical Terry to sign ‘To Wayne. Sorry’ when he asked for his autograph! Thanks to OTP readers Tom Commins and Matt Fairgrieve [...]...

Ariane Sherine with this week's highlights from the Twitterverse, including John Prescott and Eric Pickles's spat over donors paying tax, John Terry's haircut and the uproar over BBC 6 MusicAriane SherineAndy GallagherMatt Hall...

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...

…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...

Can Terry rediscover his form in time to rescue Chelsea? For the entirety of the season, Chelsea have seemed poised to put insurmountable distance between  themselves and the nearest opposition.  Yet this moment never arrived.  Draws and losses, often at those crucial games, have seen them lose ground in the Premier League, till now the gap between first place glory and second ignominy is one point. The question is, can Chelsea fulfill its promise of this season and reclaim the domestic throne, or will they once again see the trophy lifted elsewhere? In this article, I’ll discuss the reasons that they’ll lose; in another, I’ll discuss why they’ll win. 1.  Defensive Injuries Ashley Cole had been the world’s superlative left back until a recent...

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...

• 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...

It's the first day of spring and James Richardson is joined by the gloriously in bloom Sean Ingle, Rafa Honigstein and Barney Ronay for your latest edition of Football Weekly.We start with another weekend in the Premier League. Manchester City stunned Chelsea in the sideshow to the John Terry/Wayne Bridge handshake debate, and Arsenal emerged victorious after their brusing (and leg-breaking) encounter with Stoke. What impact will the results have on the fate of the teams invloved? Meanwhile, Manchester United picked up their first trophy of the season after they beat Aston Villa in the Carling Cup final. Will that impact on Villa's chase for fourth spot? Can Tottenham hold on to the final Champions League place? Or will Liverpool, with Fernando Torres back in the starting line-up, still...

Panto villain gets a trim Can a haircut be arrogant? Well, this one was. John Terry has been the centre of tabloid attention for weeks (Ashley Cole’s alleged indiscretions aside). The big clash with Manchester City and Wayne Bridge was always destined for intense media scrutiny, but was also potentially the beginning of the end for [...]...

• 'People in glasshouses should not throw stones'• City players condemn booing of Wayne BridgeJohn Terry has said Craig Bellamy may be guilty of hypocrisy following the Manchester City player's critical comments regarding his affair with the mother of Wayne Bridge's child.Terry has made no public comment about the reports of his extra-marital affair with Vanessa Perroncel, a story which cost him the England captaincy and a long-standing friendship with Bridge, but he has responded to the views of Bellamy.Speaking after Manchester City's 4‑2 victory at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Bellamy said of Terry: "Everybody in football knows what the guy is like. But that is off the field."Terry's retort was pithy and to the point. "People in glasshouses should not throw stones," the Chelsea...

• 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...

And who can blame him Wayne Bridge decided against shaking the hand of John Terry as Manchester City faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this lunchtime. Captain Shay Given led the Citeh players along the line of Chelsea’s players and Bridge, the penultimate Citeh player, did not take-up John Terry’s offer of a handshake. And Bridge had the [...]...

As bizarre as it may sound, if Manchester City could play against Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal each week, they’d be in a better league position than they are now. City continue to look flaccid when they play teams such as Stoke City, but always seem to be up for it when they play powerhouses such as Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. The difference between City and other teams is that on the big days when you need it the most, they have key footballers who play with heart, namely Craig Bellamy and Carlos Tevez. We saw how incredibly passionate and dangerous they were earlier in the season when they almost beat Manchester United at Old Trafford. And we saw it again Saturday in a very exciting second half when City beat Premier League title favorites Chelsea 4-2 at...

After yesterdays announcement by Wayne Bridge, there has been a lot of press discussion about the situation. I thought I would blog my opinion on it. Now this IS an emotive subject, and I am aware that people reading this may have experienced similar situations – so I hope that I can deal with this sensitively. Ok,...

• John Terry camp labels former team-mate a 'bottler'• Fabio Capello fails to change left-back's mindWayne Bridge's dramatic international retirement has caused the simmering tension between the Manchester City left‑back and his former best friend John Terry to erupt into open warfare.As Bridge effectively confirmed he could not bear the thought of playing alongside his England team-mate, friends of Terry responded by suggesting Bridge had long been considered a "bottler" in the dressing room.The pair will meet on Saturday with Chelsea playing City at Stamford Bridge, when all eyes will be on what is normally the formality of a pre-match handshake between the players.Bridge, enraged at Terry's affair with his former girlfriend, Vanessa Perroncel, the mother of Bridge's son, had...

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 [...]...

…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...

• Left-back says his position is 'untenable and potentially divisive'• Fabio Capello left with World Cup selection headacheWayne Bridge has said his position in the England squad is "untenable and potentially divisive" and he has decided to make himself unavailable for selection, ruling himself out of this summer's World Cup.The move comes after the revelation of John Terry's affair with Bridge's former partner, Vanessa Perroncel, and leaves Fabio Capello with a potential selection crisis ahead of the tournament in South Africa. The Italian stripped Terry of the England captaincy and had hoped Bridge would remain involved. However, the Manchester City player has been left devastated by the scandal."I have thought long and hard about my position in the England football team in the...

In the UK the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS, above) is on course to pay out £1.3 billion in bonuses to its investment bankers after United Kingdom Financial Investments (UKFI), the body which looks after – or is supposed to look after – the British taxpayer’s 84% stake in the troubled bank, decided not to attempt to block the plans. UKFI has this afternoon written to the bank to assure RBS’s management that it will not use its veto over the bonuses and it is even understood that UKFI has “worked behind the scenes in intricate discussions” to reduce the original proposal from a bonus pot of £1.6 billion. Big deal. If these cretins in the government-appointed UKFI working “on our behalf”  had any balls, they’d have conducted simple...

…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...

Ancelotti can’t decide if he cares who his soldiers go to bed with or not “It doesn”t interest me with who my captain and my soldiers go to bed with. I only care about the ideas they wake up with in the morning.” Carlo Ancelotti, February 17 “We are interested, me and the club, in protecting the image [...]...

Despite recent scandals involving John Terry and Ashley Cole, many young women still dream of marrying a footballer and living a life of permatanned luxury. But is life as a Wag all it is cracked up to be?Nicola Tappenden was a 14-year-old schoolgirl, living in Croydon, when a psychic told her she'd grow up to do something very special. She would marry a professional footballer. At the time, she had a crush on a youth team player – "I fancied the pants off him; I think I might have snogged him once" – so she confided in her mother that she thought it might be him. It wasn't.Then Tappenden left school, won a competition to become a Page 3 girl, and met the then West Ham United player Bobby Zamora. "Two of my friends had stayed at his house, so they invited me over," she says. "He got...

Haven’t people got locked up in Dubai for less than that? Having secured the forgiveness of his wife Toni following his alleged affair, John Terry turned his attention to more pressing matters as he joined in a kickabout at his hotel resort in Dubai. The Chelsea skipper was quite literally head and shoulders above most of the [...]...

Evening allI have a few issues, and, as always at the moment, am short on timeFirstly, the most pressing issue is the Ashley Cole injury - I know it's a fairytale (or some sort of fictional account) that Wayne Bridge could be called up to play alongside Terry (his arch-nemesis!!!) but can we be serious for a minute here? A week ago most commentators didn't even expect Bridge to make the squad...now he's first choice? This is a man who's played about 2 hours in over 2 months, and has struggled with form all season - Fabio picks on form, not potential, and the fact that Bridge is now a contender shows how weak we are at left-back currentlyBridge is a shoe-in if Cole isn't fit because our only other proper left-backs are Leighton Baines and Stephen Warnock, personally I'd want Baines with...

…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...

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• England centre-half given time off, confirms Ray Wilkins• 'John and Carlo decided that would be best for all concerned'Chelsea's assistant manager, Ray Wilkins, has confirmed that John Terry will not play against Cardiff City in the FA Cup on Saturday and will be given time off.Terry was sacked as England captain last Friday after allegations surrounding his private life. According to reports, Terry is planning to join his wife, Toni, in Dubai this weekend.Wilkins said Terry and Chelsea's manager, Carlo Ancelotti, had discussed the defender's break from club duties.Following that discussion, Wilkins said, "John will not play this weekend. Carlo is giving him a bit of time off. He will come back and prepare for our game against Wolves on the 20th. They just had a little chat, John...

What’s 25p when you can kick a man when he’s down? A website that allows supporters to send fanmail messages direct to the players has revealed that it has blocked more than 160 abusive messages to John Terry. And the gloating fans have spent 25p per message trying to have a pop at the Chelsea skipper. Contact [...]...

Not many think Capello has made the wrong decision to strip Terry of the England captaincy. But I think its an awful decison. I’m not concerned with Terry in the slightest, nor Bridge. But as soon as you start making decisions because there’s a media howl so to do, you are in trouble. You start to follow the media’s agenda and not your own. As we know the football media this week has been in a frothing frenzy of moralistic self-righteousness over the whole Terry/ Bridge/Capello situation. Like Terry, it just wouldn’t quit. So lets get this straight it seems this decison was made because of something as nebulous and fleeting as ‘respect.’ Poor old Wayne can’t respect his –ex best mate any more. Aw diddums. Well you should choose your friends more carefully then, son. I...

…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...

Window dressing courtesy of the News of the World This Northern Irish bookmakers has thus far shown a loyalty to the stars of its window display which the subjects did not afford to their wives. Let’s hope the frisky horse on the left is not going to be the next sporting star to fall foul of [...]...

MOTD 2 pundit Garth Crooks either has a bit of a laugh at John Terry’s expense or really ought to give a bit more consideration to his turn of phrase in the light of recent events!...

New England football captain Rio Ferdinand has announced he is to celebrate his new position by releasing an extended version of his critically acclaimed sex tape, originally released in 2000. The new director's cut, Rio Redux, will feature a fabled, previously unseen sequence in which the captain and his men find themselves in a French lingerie model. Subscribe in a...

Here’s the plan. We take a bunch of teenage lads. We pay them tens of thousands of pounds a week, tell them how wonderful they are and have 40,000 fans chant their names at football matches each week. Pumped full of testosterone and overflowing with cash, we eagerly follow their antics as they do the sorts of things lads in their late teens and twenties across the country do: get drunk, cop off and all the rest of it. We happily encourage young women to see them as a meal ticket that’ll at the very least show them a good time and perhaps launch a modelling career or make a tidy packet in the sort of kiss-and-tell memoir we’ll eagerly devour in our Sunday papers. And, when one of the wealthy young men strays from his wife, we’ll castigate him, demand he’s...

Fabio Capello is to name Gary Neville as the new England captian. Apparently the decision has been based on the the fact that he hasn't got any chance of getting off with any other players girlfriend!! Comments...

• 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...

It was The Sun wot done it The thought that John Terry’s extra-marital affair was all a desperate ploy to create more publicity for the now ex-England skipper hadn’t crossed our minds… until now. Here is JT on the front cover of The Sun to signal him agreeing to write a column for them. The paper he [...]...

• 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,...