The decision to remove John Terry from his post as captain of England’s football team may not have required much deliberation, but the manner in which the decision was arrived at, reemphasises Capello’s managerial judgment and authority. Terry’s position had become utterly untenable, not merely because of his latest moral transgression, but due to a series of imprudent actions. As easy as the decision may have been, Capello must be lauded for acting as swiftly as he did and for exerting his control in typically imposing fashion. The value of a captain in international football has been slightly overstated and it would have been a dreadful misjudgement to retain Terry as the skipper, purely for his supposed on-field leadership qualities. The captain of England’s football team is more a face of the team than a leader of men as some may have you believe and Capello’s choice of ridding Terry of the armband comes as no surprise.
Equally unsurprising is Capello’s decision to hand the mantle to Rio Ferdinand, who has matured tremendously, both as a player and as a person since the indiscretions he famously manifested when he missed a drugs test in 2003. Ferdinand who was often criticised in the past for his failure to make most of his precocious talent has improved both the physical and mental aspects of his game and is no longer blighted by the lapses in concentration that disrupted the early phases of his career. Besides ironing out deficiencies in his game, Ferdinand has developed as a fine role-model, particularly through the stellar work that he has performed in relation to anti-racism campaigns. Although Gary Neville has been the club captain for Manchester United over the course of their three successive championships, the influence of Ferdinand, both on and off the field cannot be underemphasised. The only concern is the injuries that have bothered him over the course of the present season, but Capello probably believes that the worst of his troubles are now behind him and that he should be amply fit to lead England out in the World Cup finals.
2 comments:
I can't agree that Ferdinand was that obvious a choice. His recent form and injuries have meant that he might not be a constant presence for England. However, a lack of options may ahve forced Capello's hand.
I think the poor form was merely a product of his injury troubles. He is expected to have fully recovered and once he is back from suspension, he should get a decent run of games prior to the world cup.
Post a Comment