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John Terry plot to undermine Fabio Capello fails
21 Jun 2010
Fabio Capello is in the spotlight like never before after former skipper John Terry yesterday laid bare the divisions that have ripped England apart.
Terry gave a candid press conference which is believed to have upset some senior squad members.
He also revealed there would be clear-the-air talks between Capello and the squad last night and openly called for Joe Cole to be included against Slovenia on Wednesday.
However, although there has been no official statement on the discussion Terry was expecting to have in a pre-planned team gathering, reports have emerged suggesting Capello squashed the idea flat.
Rather than listening to what Terry had to say, it is claimed the revolt was headed off before it even got underway, on the advice of senior figures surrounding the England camp who feared Terry was not speaking for the whole team.
If so, it represents a forcible confirmation of Capello's authority and a weakening of Terry's position.
"Maybe the togetherness has been missing at times," said Terry yesterday.
"When things don't go well it is important the group stays together.
"Usually everyone goes straight back to their room and stays there until the following morning. But on Friday, for the first time since the manager took over, he let us have a beer.
"We had one each, nothing more than that, and seven or eight of us sat there talking about the game. It was good to get things off our chest and express how we felt."
Terry stressed he would never ask for Capello to pick Cole but knows the qualities of the former West Ham player should he be given a chance.
The central defender said: "I would never ask for Joe to be picked by England and I haven't done that at Chelsea.
"It is something that I would never do in my career, go and say 'this player should be in.' It is the manager's decision. That is what he gets paid to do.
"He has never come to me and asked me about that (Cole) and even if he did, I would feel a little bit uncomfortable giving my thoughts. Obviously I would probably be biased to Joe.
Terry was clearly under the impression he had been given a mandate to act, claiming during his media briefings that he was "speaking on behalf of the lads".
"We are in a meeting with the manager, whether he starts it or finishes it, the players can say how they feel and if it upsets him then I'm on the verge of just saying: 'You know what? So what? I'm here to win it for England'," he said.
"If we can't be honest with each other there is no point being here.
"It has worked in the past at Chelsea. We have a responsibility to ourselves, the manager and everyone else to voice an opinion and hope he takes it on board."
Reader views (17)
Can't wait for the on-pitch blubb-in if England don't qualify (or later on if they do), with bawling-like- a-baby Terry leading the event - remember 2006?
- Ted, Orkney Isles, 22/06/2010 07:39
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@ Goggs, London,
You are a typical football fan plenty to say but little substance. When you state facts you should really get the basics right.
Australia are not the Barbarians, they are the Wallabies. The Barbarians are an English based rugby club which was started at Cambridge University back in 1884. And for the record England last beat Australia, in Australia way back in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final. Hardly a great record against a top class Rugby playing nation.
Can you see the similarities between the two sports?. England always fall well short when they face a team who can play a bit.
I hope you are right about the Slovenia game, somehow I doubt that they can rise to the challenge, but I can see England falling short and back home by the weekend.
- paddy, sutton surrey, 21/06/2010 16:55
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What are you going on about Pat, Coulsdon. You must be living on Cloud Cuckoo. We just beat the Australian Barbarians 21-20 in Australia! We will beat Slovenia on Wednesday. So much speculation over the weekend about nothing. So much Capello bashing... we loved him two weeks ago. What a nation of turncoats we are. And when Rooney or Terry scores the winning goal in any game, he'll be a national hero. Make your minds up folks, you're either behind the team or you're not. They played badly on Friday and that's the sum total of it. The rest is all speculation whipped into a frenzy by the media and some dimwit pundits in love with the sound of their own voices. Let's stop the hysteria and get behind the team.
At least our boys haven't stropped off the training pitch!
- Goggs, London, 21/06/2010 13:45
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What was the point of re-negotiating Capello's contract just before the world cup to remove his break clause so he can walk with two year's pay?
- Bloke, Lambeth, 21/06/2010 13:04
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Hmm, John terrym Roonet, Lampard, Gerrard, these players are super donnas, they all lack hard work and passion. Come in the World Cup and sulking...
Maybe start playing the players who want to wear the shirt....Shame they aren't all Lions.
- adrian, london, 21/06/2010 12:34
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Rob,Gooner - you're not very bright either are you? Terry was asked to do the press conference by Capello's assistant Baldini! At least he's got the guts, unlike a certain Mr Gerrard!
- Kev, London N1, 21/06/2010 12:29
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Good Luck Aganist slovenia.. England can easily get into the last 16.. algeria are just a snakey, time-wasting, boring football team. England will go through without any doubt.
- Rashid egyptian, London UK, 21/06/2010 12:06
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Lets face it Terry isnt the brightest of individuals. This seems like an attempt to gain revenge for Capello stripping him of the captaincy.
- Rob Gooner, North London, 21/06/2010 11:50
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The days for football managers are truly numbered. Players egos are now far too big to allow a manager to make important decisions.
This is your job fellas! You are there to TRY and win a World Cup for the nation yet you seem to be more interested in treating it like a holiday! Its only four weeks of your lives you are being asked to give up (assuming you pull your fingers out) with the chance to go down in history for ever.
"I don't want to do this training drill", "We want beer", "We're bored", "I want my mate to play" ...... Listen to yourselves! We'd have been better off sending you all to Ibiza and sending the Under 21s instead. Now get out there and prove me wrong!
- Dave, Assistant Manager, London, 21/06/2010 11:34
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When you pay someone £150 a week, they lose the hunger to deliver particularly when their agents lock eth fees in for a year or more, so they can be set up for life and deliever zip all.
Thats why our team ar failing, they have lost the will to fight.
If the win on wednesday we should not put the flags out but keep the pressure on. These guys need a shed load more discipline, and a total wipe out of their prima madonna attitudes.
- Robert Marshall, London, 21/06/2010 11:16
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Why is the England Captain not saying all this, surely it`s his job now, where is he ??
- Rob, London, 21/06/2010 11:02
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Thank you JT for having the balls to go on TV and say what millions of us think.....Things have to change...and if Capello doesn't like it...tough! That the other non performers wouldn't back Terry for telling the truth...well....its France all over again.
Am I correct to say that in the new Copello contract he gets 2 years salary for walking...thats £12 million Pounds!!!!! now thats what I call an incentive for not performing.
To the Bosses of the FA....I will do the job for £500K a year........my credentials? watching England play since 1966........Who wants to be my number 2?
- ray, london, 21/06/2010 10:49
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You wanted passion, thats passion.
- keith, Bournemouth, 21/06/2010 10:43
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I see the'gentlemen' of the press are setting Terry up as the fall guy if we go out - no surprise there then.
What is really needed in these press conferences is a Maradonna style rant at you people.
There is only one thing that undermines the England team and that is the British press and its obsession of building someone up just to then try and ruin them.
You tried it with Terry many times before, but sadly he seems just a bit too strong for you - still you won't stop trying will you?
- Barry, Welwyn England, 21/06/2010 10:39
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Lets just face facts the current crop of individual England players are just not good enough at World class level. Capello cannot produce a world beating team if the basic footballing skills are absent. Why all this analysis and fuss over a second string football team competing at the World cup. Like Rugby, Tennis, Golf and a number of other major sporting events the UK is just not producing individuals who can compete at World level. It seems that the whole of England gone completely bonkers over the failure of a couple of dozen overpaid prima donnas with limited skills and large egos.
- pat, coulsdon uk, 21/06/2010 10:10
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Plot? What utter garbage. How could it be a plot when he was asked to do the press conference by Capello's assistant? What you should be asking is where is the leadership from the current England captain? Stevie Me obviously has no bottle. At least Terry is saying what we all feel and is showing true leadership when things are going wrong. Terry will be a scapegoat no matter what he says so he can't really win with the press as he is public enemy no. 1.
- Kev, London N1, 21/06/2010 10:09
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Give them a beer before the game on Wednesday please, should settle the nerves and get them playing. Did Arsenal no harm we won league titles with p****d up back 4s.
- Jay, England, 21/06/2010 10:00
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