by Bashmachkin Wed Feb 08, 2012 6:51 pm
I agree with the way the FA have handled Terry and disagree with Capello's response to their handling. Certainly I'd happily see the England squad without Terry: though the number of thugs, cheats, villains who have played and still play a significant part in the England squad makes it feel as though the England national team is in itself poisonous and best forsaken, still there are players I like who are and who should be part of the squad, I don't think the situation is impossible to salvage from a moral or even from a footballing perspective, and the less John Terry about the better. Nevertheless, I accept that there aren't grounds for removing Terry from the squad prior to his trial, but I think there is a good case for taking the captaincy from him simply on the basis of the sort of coverage that would dominate all footballing discussion if he were to remain as captain; and I suppose at least in this case I don't have a problem with someone being removed from an important but arguably ceremonial role whilst they are facing criminal proceedings. Capello's public response to the FA's decision seems senseless, seems only to make his job more difficult.
All of which is to say that I broadly agree, in this instance, with Gordon Taylor.
If Capello and the FA do part ways, is Kevin Keegan the man to lead England through Euro 2012? I know this particular match-up has been hotly debated over the extent of the internet and elsewhere too, but I'm firmly of the camp that maintains Newcastle 95/96 > Spain 2008 and 2010, for instance.
I'm not sure, Pele, that there is no reason why Phil Jones won't become as good or better than Coloccini. The comparison with David Luiz seems coherent to me because both he and Jones seem like talented players with the ball, but they can be headless playing their supposed role of centre-back. Jones is considerably younger and I think less headless than Luiz; but he's not nearly as intelligent or accomplished defensively as Coloccini - he doesn't read the game as well, use his body as effectively, time his challenges and interceptions in the same way - and the fact that he's far from Coloccini in this respect at this moment in time just as much suggests he'll never reach his level. Jones's youth, his physical qualities, his talent with the ball, the fact that he plays for Manchester United - these things suggest he should have a good career, but I don't think it is guaranteed that he'll become a consummate defender.
Is it worth giving the England captaincy to Andy Carroll? Should the England captaincy not make a player, rather than risk breaking one?
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