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John Terry faces toughest England fixture: at home to Fabio Capello
Matthew Beard and Sri Carmichael5 Feb 2010
John Terry was today facing crunch talks with his boss Fabio Capello as new questions were raised over his financial dealings.
The 29-year-old was meeting the England manager at Wembley to explain why he should remain as England captain.
Capello flew in to meet Terry in a bid to end the week-long furore sparked by his affair with French lingerie model Vanessa Perroncel, the former girlfriend of Terry's ex Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge.
The talks came after potentially damaging allegations that friends of Terry were attempting to hire out his personal box at Wembley for £4,000 per match.
It is claimed that an associate of the England captain's management agents offered the 12-seat corporate box given to Terry at a reduced price as a perk by the Football Association.
The offer, which appears to break FA rules, will cause fresh embarrassment.
Terry is likely to be asked about the claims that an associate of his management agents offered the 12-seat corporate box for England's forthcoming friendly against Egypt on 3 March.
Terry's contract to rent out the box is subsidised by £40,000 a year as one of his perks for being national team captain but its terms expressly forbid hiring it out.
The go-between, who also offered an England or Chelsea shirt signed by Terry as part of the deal, told an undercover reporter from the Daily Mail: “It's John Terry's box and you can have it. It will be £4,000 and we would want the money in cash.”
The box was allegedly offered by Anthony White, 35, a sales and marketing manager at the David Beckham Academy until it closed down last month.
A coach at the academy was Paul Nichols, a 29-year-old semi-professional footballer and long-term friend of Terry, who is now part of the player's two-man management team.
White, who denies any wrongdoing, claimed the box belonged to Terry's management company, Elite Management, which is run by Nicholls and Keith Cousins, chairman of lower league side Rushden and Diamonds.
Terry's spokesman Phil Hall said White had been acting “on his own” when he offered the box.
He added: “I've spoken with Paul Nicholls and the box is run by his promotions company of which he is sole director. When Anthony White asked Paul for the box, Paul replied: I'm sorry, Anthony, we are not allowed to sell it on. We never would do'.”
The FA today declined to comment on the matter.
Reader views (12)
Terry is paid to pay footy, not to stay monogomous. Can we all now get on with something more important please?
- Be Real, London, 05/02/2010 14:34
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maybe Phoebe a better question is why *you* care so much that a married premier league manager visited a brothel when his wife has come out and said she couldn't care less and that it is a non issue?
if she doesn't mind, why do you?
- Scotty, London, 05/02/2010 14:12
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Ed, London.
The injunction on John Terry was lifted whilst the injunction on Avram was still in place.
This story is more about the way John Terry tried to stop papers reporting his conduct.
John Terry used his money to try and gag the press and instead of being just a Sunday rag story it was reported across the board.
- Andy Taylor, London, 05/02/2010 13:44
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Definition of a Footballer:
God delusion supported by lesser minds, and sleep with everyone else girlfriend,wife and sometimes eachother.
Terry plays football, since when anyone wanted to become a footballer to change the world or make a difference? football is about the lifestyle and money.. get real people
- Andrew, Balance Of Reason, London, England, 05/02/2010 13:15
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I think to sack him would be wrong. I do not condone what he has done, but it is his private life. Others do not lose their jobs. MJ - if you were to keep all the people you know, work with or are even related to who were squeakly clean, and been monogomous, I would imagine there would not be many of you. And as it says in the bible, let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
- E Sullivan, London, 05/02/2010 13:10
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I don't think the press want us to have any hope in future competitions. Enough of this stupid story!
- Kim, Lancing, West Sussex, 05/02/2010 12:58
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Capello has been lauded as the saviour of the England team in recent months and it will be interesting to see how those baying for Terry's head will react if Capello feels there is no case to answer.
Will he still be the best manager money can buy? And on the basis of this backing, can anybody still doubt Terry's credentials for the post, given that the saintly one has absolved him?
- Barry, Welwyn England, 05/02/2010 12:58
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Capello will do nothing. I'm sure he has already been 'instructed' by the upstanding members of the FA to keep Terry as captain. They wouldn't have the bottle to sack him themselves. If that disgusting excuse for a man remains captain of England,I hope every parent who has a child interested in football will not allow them to go to any match that John Terry is involved in. He is not fit to be a role model for anyone.
- Mj, East Anglia, 05/02/2010 12:47
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He is just a footballer and that is the bottom line. He is being held up as some sort of god like figure. Let them get on and do their jobs as footballers and lets all get off our mighty high horses. Suddenly everyone is whiter than white and Terry is the devil incarnate. Get real.
- Andrew, St. John's Wood, London, 05/02/2010 12:14
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"Its a mystery to me why journalists are so vile to John Terry. Its even more of a mystery why they so approve of a married football manager visiting an illegal brothel that they don't even think its worth mentioning."
Because John Terry is more news-worthy than Avram Grant
- Ed, London, 05/02/2010 12:07
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Its a mystery to me why journalists are so vile to John Terry. Its even more of a mystery why they so approve of a married football manager visiting an illegal brothel that they don't even think its worth mentioning.
- Phoebe, London, UK, 05/02/2010 11:27
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In this new world of technology – mobile phones, texts, email, web cams, Twitter, facebook or dare I say a normal phone. I sure Capello has spoken to John & his mind is already made up that John is to remain has Captain.
Well to actual do something that would remind people that being an Ambassador actually means something would be too good to be true.
- John, London, 05/02/2010 11:04
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