John Terry: England Captain?

John Terry `England Captain`. Never did like the sound of it. He portrays ignorance and instills a lack of pride- but that`s just my opinion. So when news broke on Terry`s recent personal life, alleging an affair with England and former Chelsea team mate Wayne Bridge`s girlfriend, the potential repercussions elated me. John Terry stripped of England captaincy? Isn`t that what I wanted for christmas? However, as I identified the potential replacements, I realised such events could only prove to serve in England`s detriment.

Despite off the field issues, Terry is in consistent form on the pitch. He will be the first to tell you he`s played better; however, Chelsea sit top of the premier league under his guidance as he remains injury free. Rumours continue to circulate that Mr Capello will relieve Terry of his captaincy and live up to his reputation as a staunch disiplinarian. However, lets consider the successor.

The current England vice-captain is Rio Ferdinand. Undoubtedly, when fit, one of the best defenders on the planet; an England captain he is not, especially under current circumstances. Ferdinand has struggled with fitness for the past 12 months and he must concentrate on arriving at the World Cup match fit. Often a linchpin at big tournaments, he`ll be crucial to any England success. However, recent ill discipline will leave him sidelined for 4 games, giving substance to the argument he cannot be trusted.

Steven Gerrard, vice captain during the ill-fated Steve McClaren era, is another stand out choice. For many years captain marvel at Liverpool, as he often leads with his performances. However, Gerrard is currently enduring a difficult season. Just turned 30, he has struggled with injuries all season as Liverpool`s over-reliance on him has left him fatigued and out of form. I cannot see the added pressure of captaining England to the World Cup as plausable.

Wayne Rooney, in sensatonal form at the moment, is in my mind a future England captain. Yes, he has shown himself to have a fragile temperament in the past, but I believe he now depicts a maturity far in beyond of his years. Comparisons can be made to the way Carlos Bilardo thrusted 24 year old Diego Mardona the armband in 1986. We all know what happened next. Interestingly, Maradona was sent off in his previous World Cup match for a wild lunge as Argentina exited at the second round stage in 82, as was Rooney against Portugal last time out. However, football has changed since then and this World Cup is certainly too early for Rooney. We pile enough pressure on our stars, and young Wayne must concentrate on his own fearless game going into the big matches.

I`d be very suprised if Terry is relinquished of his duties and believe, despite inward discontent, Capello will depict a calm and unfazed approach, while dealing with it in house. He cannot see the idea of changing captain 4 months before the start of the tournament as viable. Not one to make comparisons between cricket and football, but parallels can be seen between this situation and that involving Kevin Pietersen`s enforced resignation before the last Ashes series. England`s cricket team went on to win that series under Andrew Strauss`astute guidance. However, England`s best player Pietersen underperformed and hasn`t scored a century since. An unsettled Terry means an unsettled back four. He is undeniably a crucial piece of a complacated jigsaw, and we need our best players come June. So, as much as it pains me to say it, it`s John Terry `England Captain`.

Rooney coming of age..

‘Remember the name, Wayne Rooney’. Any self respecting football fan will recall the words of Clive Tyldesley on the day a star was born. Against an Arsenal side undefeated in thirty fixtures, Wayne Rooney plucked the ball out of the air with consummate ease and delivered a bending shot past David Seaman to win the game for Everton in injury time. The boy from Merseyside was 5 days shy of his 17th birthday; he was on 80 quid a week. Everything changed. Forget putting yourself on the map, he became the map. And with it came the inevitable pressures and expectations of being an exciting English prospect. He’s the one; better than Owen, the best since Gazza. He could be as good as Maradona… he’s the white Pele. England are going to win the World Cup. Just a few of the assumptions Wayne Rooney created as he burst onto the scene with that goal. It’s hard to believe the mercurial talent is still only 24 but, as he enjoys the richest vein of goal scoring form in his career, is he announcing himself as one of the world’s greatest?

Having guided his club to another Wembley final with a last gasp header to defeat rivals Manchester City, Sir Alex Ferguson last night described Rooney as “truly world class”. A tremendous accolade to a player that appears to be revelling in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, with Rooney’s goals this season proving he thrives on the extra responsibility. Following his meteoric rise at Goodison Park, Rooney found himself on Ferguson’s shopping list at just 18 years old, albeit due to what now seems like a comical bid from Newcastle that forced United’s hand. Rooney had just returned from Euro 2004 whereby personal (if not national) success had persuaded Sir Alex he was worth the £30 million asking price. 4 goals in as many games let the whole football world know who Wayne Rooney was, before injury cruelly ruined his, and undoubtedly, England’s campaign. The man was raw, fearless. His United career began in similar vein; a champions league hat-trick on debut as he finished top scorer, although he had to settle for no silverware. However, in recent seasons, although his form has never dipped enough to warrant any genuine criticism, he has been a victim of expectation. We all wanted to see England have a world beater; he wasn’t quite there yet.

Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, was. While Wayne Rooney suffered the pain of a broken metatarsal for the second time, and a subsequent race against time to be fit for the World Cup, Ronaldo was about to propel himself to the summit of world football. Ronaldo began to stamp his authority on the game at the highest level during Germany 2006; Rooney ended up having an early bath, as England endured an early exit. “Please don’t kill Wayne Rooney, he is the golden boy of English football” were Sven’s parting words as England boss, and here started a transitional few years for the boy wonder Rooney. Now playing in the best Manchester United side in a decade, Rooney was about to achieve great domestic success. He has won 3 league titles, a Champions League and a League Cup in the last 3 years, averaging 15 league goals a season. However despite such success, niggling doubts remained as to whether he could achieve the potential he had shown in his teens. He was beating less men, his long range goals were no longer an every week occurrence. Throughout this period, Ronaldo was the most feared player on the planet; 65 goals in 2 seasons from a winger speaks for itself. Rooney had less responsibility than he had been accustomed to and took on a selfless task for the good of the team, as Ronaldo assumed a free role in any team selected. Rooney displayed a maturity far beyond his tender years throughout frustrating spells, not least when he was played out of position and substituted in both Champions League finals in the previous 2 years.

Now in a World Cup year and with Ronaldo at Madrid, Rooney has reaffirmed everyone’s belief in his abilities. Ronaldo left Old Trafford and the general consensus was that Rooney would take on the added responsibility. He hasn’t disappointed, with 21 goals already this season the only reason Manchester United’s evident problems haven’t been more prevalent. His all-round game is currently as good as it ever has been, and dare I say as good as any other striker in the world. He won’t stop Chelsea winning the league, but lets all pray England have their very own Roonaldo this summer!