A few months to go. So many candidates to choose. But the question is: Who will Capello pick as England captain come Qualification for the 2010 World Cup? With the Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle team captains in the frame, it will not be an easy decision. But he has to go one way or another, and the expense of ridicule from the press if they feel he chooses the wrong one.
Here, the list of possible candidates for Capello to choose will be run through. Each will be assessed on their leadership abilities and present form:
John Terry - Chelsea captain - Chosen by former coach Steve McClaren to be his England captain. Has shown he is a born leader, leading by example with great defensive performances for Chelsea alongside Carvalho. Seen as the prime choice.
Steven Gerrard - Liverpool captain - Shown good form and good leadership abilities to help Liverpool to a possible 3rd Champions League Final in 4 years, and securing Liverpool 4th place in the Premiership table. Able to boss a game from central midfield. Another prime choice
Gary Neville - Manchester United captain - Been sidelined all season with injury. Shown good leadership skills last season to lead Man Utd to Premiership title, bombing forward from right-back when needed. Maybe a slight outside choice.
Rio Ferdinand - 3rd choice Manchester United captain - An absolute tower in defence this season alongside Vidic, commanding United from the back in Neville's absence. Given the armband against France, but shown touchy and angry side on Saturday against Chelsea. A good choice, maybe a slight outsider
Michael Owen - Newcastle captain - Impressed for Newcastle in recent matches both with form and with leadership abilities. Scored a few goals but lacks enough leadership qualities to permanently captain the national side.
Capello's got a touch choice. Where will he go? We will have to wait until September to see...
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5 months ago
Good question Edward but being a Scot I couldn't care really:P I'll leave it to those who do...
5 months ago
Its a good article.... But i am afraid Edward my friend, the captaincy will end up in the arms of Wayne Rooney!!! x
5 months ago
I think it’s a tough one for Capello – and in my opinion he’s not necessarily waiting to decide who will be his captain, but more waiting to see who will be his first choice team. Only then can he choose his captain. At the moment Owen and Neville aren’t guaranteed to play so can’t really be considered.
Ferdinand’s place seems 100% sure as his form over the last 24 months dictates. Will Terry be his first choice partner at the back though? Gerrard surely fits in the midfield somewhere, be it on the right or in the middle – I think he’ll get the nod purely because Terry might not be guaranteed to play every game. Although I’m yet to see Gerrard replicate his club form for England (but then again, who does?!) this might help bring out a bit more in him.
5 months ago
I think that Capello will choose between Ferdinand, Terry, and Gerrard. I believe that it should be Gerrard, since he is a towering figure in midfield.
4 months ago
I think it has to be Stevie G, he has the ability to pick the game up by the scruff of the neck when the team is playing badly, he thrives on responsibility and I think that England will finally see the best of him if he is made captain :)
4 months ago
Just heard that plastic-bionic is to captain england in the up-coming friendly!
I can't bloody stand John Terry! There is no way on Earth he should captain England.
He is no bloody hero!
John Terry....?
Is this the same John Terry who , in the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001, along with Chelsea team-mates Frank Lampard, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Jody Morris were accused of drunkenly mocking American tourists at Heathrow, stripping naked, laughing and vomiting.
Having paid his share of the £130,000 fines imposed by Chelsea, Terry was then involved in a 1.30am fracas at London's Wellington nightclub in 2002 in which a doorman was injured.
He is engaged to a beautician and in their first seven years together is said to have strayed at least eight times, but has always been forgiven (I wonder why? £150k a week maybe) This character synopsis doesn't include the amount of times he has urinated in a bar.
John Terry has made his own bed through his on field attitude (his self-styled 'hard man' image, his haranging of referees, his sly and dirty fouls (like kicking Torres whilst he was on the ground during the semi) etc) and unsavoury off field activities. He has not positioned himself to elicit any sympathy, so he cannot expect any.
Do me a favour. I can't bloody satnd John Terry, for me he embodies not only what is wrong with English football but England as a whole. The only reason Capello has made him captain for this friendly is so he can get the best out of him given the fact the he, by his own admission is still re-living the penalty miss every minute. To not give him the captaincy would be akin to kicking the guy while he is down ( which is ironic given that Terry doesn't mind doing that to opposing players.) Nevertheless I think Capello may have seen enough blubbering last wednesday night to show him that the captaincy won't be Terry's on a permanant basis.
I think Rio has grown and matured into a decent man both on and off the pitch and would make an ideal 'Modern' England captain for the new era.
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