Wayne Bridge Says No to Fabio Capello and England; Big Deal

“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.”

These words have been echoed around the football world today, undoubtedly to the surprise of some, but least of all to John Terry, I’m sure.

Wayne Bridge’s statement has predictably fanned the flames in the debate for who should provide cover to Ashley Cole, assuming he is fit, in the World Cup this summer.

However, the broken foot sustained by Ashley Cole and the Wayne Bridge saga has left Fabio Capello faced with the distinct possibility that a less experienced English left back will have to be drafted in to England’s starting lineup when the team touches down in South Africa in June.

This is, of course, a worst-case scenario at the moment. With any luck Ashley Cole will be fully fit by the summer. However, the news today will mean that Capello has to make a decision as to who will provide cover for Cole, or indeed start ahead of him if he is not fully fit.

On the surface losing Bridge, who has obtained thirty-six caps for England, is a big blow, but this strikes me as the ideal opportunity for either Steven Warnock or Leighton Baines to step up and prove themselves on the international stage.

It’s no secret that both Baines and Warnock are lacking in international experience, with Warnock only having one full cap to his name, and Baines’ experience being limited to just sixteen England Under-21 caps.

These are, however, two highly experienced players, who would have undoubtedly been given more of a chance on the international scene had it not been for Ashley Cole making the position his own many seasons ago.

There is even an argument to suggest that Wayne Bridge leaving the England set-up is the best possible outcome for the national side.  With Bridge out of the picture, John Terry will surely be able to go about his business in the team with less tension, and he is a far more important player for England than Bridge could ever hope to be.

In recent seasons, Bridge has visibly declined in quality and confidence.  Having left Chelsea to escape being understudy to Ashley Cole, when he has been given opportunities at Manchester City, he has failed to shine. 

The controversy surrounding John Terry and Bridge has only served to inflate the importance of Bridge’s position within the England camp. 

Before Terry’s misdemeanors were made public, talk of Bridge in the England side was far more muted, and had he decided to drop out of the squad before any of this happened, the same level of media coverage would clearly not have been afforded to the decision.

Despite the absence of Bridge, England still have a great chance of winning the World Cup in July, and by declaring his resignation from the international stage, Bridge has opened the door for two more worthy and talented left backs.