|
IT took Fabio Capello just ten minutes to strip John Terry of the England captaincy on Friday.
The Italian family man and strict disciplinarian made it clear he would not be part of the dither and hypocrisy over the disgraced star.
After a fortnight of employing lawyers and aides to cover up his affair with a team-mate’s girlfriend, Terry had no intention of resigning.
But within hours of the Daily Mail revealing that Terry’s personal box at Wembley was being ‘touted out’ for £4,000 a match, Capello wielded the axe during a curt meeting lasting less than a football half-time interval.
A senior Football Association insider said the coach had decided the 29-year-old Chelsea defender had to lose the prized armband before their mid-afternoon meeting. “The situation was becoming worse by the day. Fabio needed to protect the team.”
Capello raised eyebrows, however, with his decision to replace Terry with Rio Ferdinand. The 31-year-old has a chequered past — and once participated in a homemade video of an orgy while on holiday in Cyprus.
French lingerie model Vanessa Perroncel — whose sordid affair with Terry led to his downfall — announced that she would not ‘kiss and tell’ about their five-month relationship.
The estranged girlfriend of Terry’s former team-mate Wayne Bridge, reputedly offered £250 000 for her story. Following suggestions that she has been offered £450 000 from Terry to buy her silence — and help save his marriage — Mr Clifford said: “There has been no exchange of money between John Terry and Miss Perroncel to my knowledge. I have not been informed. I haven’t been in contact with John Terry, or anyone on his behalf, in the last few days.”
Terry’s spectacular fall from grace came exactly a week after the lifting of a superinjunction he had obtained gagging the media from revealing details of the affair with Perroncel, which began last September and resulted in him paying for an abortion for her.
Being stripped of the captaincy could cost Terry dear. The £170 000-a-week star is already rumoured to have financial problems and could lose profitable sponsorship deals and endorsements.
But at least the serial adulterer is now free to try to patch up his marriage. Terry issued a brief statement saying: “I fully respect Fabio Capello’s decision. I will continue to give everything for England.”
He later told The Sun: ‘I’m gutted. It hurts so much, but I will fight back. If there’s a one percent chance of being World Cup captain, I will fight for it tooth and nail.
“I have fought all my life and I’m not going to stop now.”
Capello issued a statement, which 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, 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.”
Even Gordon Brown felt the need to comment on Terry’s demise, saying: “This decision must be for the manager and Mr Capello has made that decision. I think people will abide by that decision.”
Shortly before his abrupt departure as England skipper, Terry was still trying to wriggle out of the Wembley ‘box-for-sale’ scandal as stadium authorities launched an investigation.
Hours after the Daily Mail revealed that use of his personal box at the stadium was being hawked around for £4 000 a time, he insisted he no longer owned one of the VIP facilities. “I used to — but don’t have no more,” said Terry. — Daily Mail.
 |
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form