Fabio Capello confirms Steven Gerrard will be England's captain against Egypt in the friendly international at...

If there's one capitalism-red-in-tooth-and-nail aphorism that I'd like to expunge from the English language, it's that ugly, untrue US apeshit about 'nice guys come last'. It's been wheeled out again over the John Terry/Wayne Bridge drama, where Bridge's withdrawal from the England team has been taken as an indication that, unlike Terry, he hasn't got it in him to succeed at the highest level and Terry's 'mates' have been letting it be known that he was always regarded as something of a 'bottler' in the dressing room.Forgive me for just a little whooping and cheering yesterday, then, as bottler Bridge gave tough guy Terry a lesson in dignified, focused and disciplined football while the ex-England captain continued with the schoolboy calamities that increasingly characterise his current...

England captain Rio Ferdinand will miss next week's friendly against Egypt because of a back...

Former England captain Jason Robinson says the national team should be more daring and play a more expansive...

England captain Paul Collingwood is satisfied with the state of his team after the Twenty20 series with Pakistan ends...

One thought that occurred to me as I strolled the halls at Spring Fair last week was the unfortunate plight of any licensee selling World Cup Merchandise. Has the sudden change in England Captain destroyed the hopes of the calendar, tablecloth and flag manufacturers? Someone needs to send his agent a bill for lost...

…post three days later? Dear god is a goal drought at Spurs and some moron being stripped then another moron being handed the England football captaincy worth more than an actual victory at Twickenham by the England rugby team over the Taffs? Well it wasn’t the greatest performance an England team has ever put on at HQ, but it was far better than what has gone on so far this season, what with the autumn internationals being a complete bust. And they still put 30 points on the Welsh, who had high hopes. And actual tries were scored, what are the chances of that happening? Of course much made of the fact that England scored 17 of those points, winning points according to most pundits, during the ten minutes that Welsh lock and captain Alun Wyn Jones was sat in the sin bin, for...

• England captain expected to be well for Italy on Sunday• Riki Flutey and Shontayne Hape back in contentionThe England rugby union captain, Steve Borthwick, missed training today due to illness but is not expected to be in doubt for Sunday's Six Nations match with Italy in Rome.England's New Zealand-born centres, Riki Flutey and Shontayne Hape, are both in contention for selection after missing England's 30-17 victory over Wales at the weekend.Flutey pulled out of the side that played at Twickenham at the weekend with a dead leg suffered in training while Hape was withdrawn on the morning of the match after contracting a bug.The England manager, Martin Johnson, will announce his team to face Italy at midday tomorrow.Steve BorthwickEngland rugby union teamSix Nations rugbyItaly rugby...

Shane Warne describes England captain Andrew Strauss's decision to miss his country's tour of Bangladesh next month as...

Shane Warne describes England captain Andrew Strauss's decision to miss his country's tour of Bangladesh next month as...

A superb profile of England's captain, Catherine Spencer, appears in today's Independent on Sunday. "With her 51st cap for England just under her belt", the article opens, "as captain of a team that's seeded second in the world; with a body of steel, a training schedule from hell and a sense of commitment to make grown men weep, Catherine Spencer is probably the most successful sportsperson that you've never heard of."Well, hopefully everyone reading this will have heard of her - but what you may not know about (until your read this) is her astonishing routine which - in between work and training it seems to barely leave time for eating and sleeping!But it obviously works. England opened their Six Nations last night with a 31-0 shut-out against Wales. With five tries from Heather...

Sir Alex Ferguson said he is "proud" that Rio Ferdinand follows in a long line of Manchester United players to become England...

Praise for sacking of England captain John...

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...

• 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...

John Terry has been removed as England men’s national team captain, the FA confirmed this afternoon. Fabio Capello is said to have given the Chelsea captain the verdict during a short meeting on Friday at Wembley. The FA released a statement from Capello outlining his decision: “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, John Terry has displayed extremely positive behaviour. 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. “John Terry was notified first. “When I chose John Terry as captain, I also selected a vice-captain and also named a third choice....

Former England manager Graham Taylor says the importance of captaining the national team is...

• 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:...

• 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...

John Terry will not resign as England captain following allegations of an affair with a team-mate's former girlfriend, BBC Sport...

For those of you living in a cave, it was revealed this weekend that John Terry has been bonking the ex girflriend of Wayne Bridge, who is also the mother of Wayne's child. Some are saying that this act of betrayal will so undermine respect for John Terry within the England squad, Terry has to surrender his captaincy. Others argue that this is a private matter, which has absolutely no bearing on Terry's professional life. It is certainly a topic that will run and run in the countdown to South Africa.My view is that although Wayne Bridge can be none too pleased at the revelations, if as reported his relationshop with his ex was well and truly over before her affair with Terry kicked off, Terry's acts, although a betrayal of his wife (for which she deservedly should red card him if she...

Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe lines up talks with the Football Association over the suitability of John Terry as England...

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...

More speculation about England captain John...

…than he was before? Does playing away with your good mate, at the time club mate and England team mate Wayne Bridge’s girlfriend make John Terry less suitable to pull on the captain’s armband for England? When you consider the rap sheet that has so far been notched up in his 12 year football career, seven years with England, four as captain, does this really mount to anything when the job has been sullied and rendered meaningless by him being given the position in the first place, by McClown, after it was handed about to anyone who wanted it under Svennis in some games. The moral high ground has to be taken they say, whoever they are, an example has to be made because Terry is a role model. Was there the same moral outrage about Beckham holding the position when he was...

The Football Association will not comment on allegations surrounding John Terry's future as England...

Steve Borthwick is confirmed as England captain for the Six...

So, England and his decided to leave Andrew Strauss out of the tour to Bangladesh. Cricket writers across the nation have got irate at the prospect of the England captain taking a rest. Even the sports jockey on BBC Radio 2’s drive time show was suggesting that it was just not cricket. I’m fairly relaxed about the move, as it should mean that Mr. Strauss is in peak condition for England’s summer series and the Ashes tour to Australia. Granted, there is some work he could do in Bangladesh, but I feel that there are also other positives that can be gained by such a move. Number 1. I get the ECB’s reasoning around Cook as captain. Succession planning is a good thing and he should gained valuable experience from taking on the role in Bangladesh. Secondly, this provides an...

Football Ambassador by Eddie Hapgood Published by GCR Books “It is rather hard to try and get over to you readers what I mean about Arsenal, because, of course, I was one of them, and, in some way, it sounds like personal boasting. But we were proud of ourselves, as I suppose we were entitled to be.“ Signed by Herbert Chapman in 1927, Eddie Hapgood was arguably the first in a long tradition of outstanding left backs in Arsenal’s history. The first encounter with the manager is recounted, Hapgood suitably impressed. Chapman’s question for the future England captain was similar to that which you can imagine Wenger asking, “Do you drink or smoke?“. Hapgood did neither and before arriving at the club was a vegetarian, something that the club were keen to...

An excellent preview of this Saturday's "international" at Saracens between Nomads and Wales has just appeared (see http://www.scrumqueens.com/news/197-nomads-to-warm-wales-up-for-6-nations.html).Wales will be at full strength - including players such as Mel Berry, Lisa Newton and Non Evans - while the Nomads will include current and former internationals, plus a few rising stars, from England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Australia, all lead by former England captain Sue Day.The game kicks off at Bramley Road at 1pm - and its free (so far as I can see!). The weather is clearing up so it really will be worth a trip down the...