Europeans baffled by fuss over Terry’s private life

February 8, 2010

Michel Platini’s Gallic shrug said it all. “I’m not bothered. What do you want me to say?” he said.

The UEFA President and former France captain had just been asked for the third time in a few minutes on England coach Fabio Capello’s decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy because of something which happened off the field.

Platini was speaking in Warsaw at a news conference and was supposed to be talking about the qualifying draw for Euro 2012, an event which involved all 53 of UEFA’s associations.

Instead, he found himself fielding questions on the internal problems of one single member.

“We have 52 other associations in UEFA. Everybody has their own way of doing things…Poland, Ukraine, Austria, Norway, Malta, Cyprus. The problem of the English is not the problem of Italy, of France.

“You have some funny problems in England, but fortunately you have an Italian to sort them out.”

Platini’s indifference is a fair reflection of what Europeans feel on the whole Terry saga.

Players’ private lives are generally not subjected to media scrutiny elsewhere in Europe and it is the amount of publicity dedicated to the matter, rather than the alleged incident itself, which has made headlines on the continent.

In many countries, the captaincy is not even a big deal, just a symbolic role which involves a few pre-match niceties and bonus of lifting the trophy should the team happen to win a competition — not a very likely contingency in England’s case judging by their failure to add to their 1966 World Cup win.

PHOTO: UEFA President Michel Platini answers questions during a news conference at the Palace of Culture in Warsaw February 6, 2010. REUTERS/Peter Andrews

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Tags: Austria, coach fabio capello, England, england coach, euro 2012, Europe, europeans, Fabio Capelloâ, fielding questions, France, gallic, indifference, Italy, john terry, Malta, michel platini, Michel Platiniâ, news conference, niceties, Norway, Poland, President Michel Platini, private life, private lives, reuters, scrutiny, shrug, symbolic role, Terry, third time, warsaw

Ancelotti sings Terry’s praises

February 8, 2010

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti sang John Terry’s praises following Chelsea’s 2-0 win over rivals Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Terry has been in the spotlight after his private-life issues surfaced in the media.

Terry put his off-field problems aside as he gave an excellent performance to help his side move back to the top of the table. The Chelsea skipper was stripped of the England captaincy by England boss Fabio Capello.

However, Ancelotti was delighted with Terry’s performance and described him as a “perfect” captain

“John is the perfect captain for Chelsea,” said Ancelotti.

“My captain has a fantastic attitude. He is doing very well in every game.

“It is very important for the team to have this leadership. He was always in control of the game. He has a strong mentality.

“He is working for his club and we are happy to have this performance from him in this moment.

“The England captaincy was not my decision and I do not want to judge about this decision. I knew John met Capello but I did not meet with (Terry) afterwards.”

Tags: arsenal, boss, bridge, captain john, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, England, fabio capello, fantastic attitude, game, John, john terry, mentality, private life, rivals, skipper, spotlight, stamford bridge

Ferdinand´s England captaincy ´will boost United´

February 7, 2010

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United can benefit from Fabio Capello’s decision to make Rio Ferdinand the new England captain.

Ferdinand served the second game of his four-match suspension as United returned to the top of the table with a 5-0 victory over Portsmouth.

The defender, 31, was watching from the stands just 24 hours after taking the England skipper’s armband from John Terry, who was stripped of the captaincy by Capello on Friday following allegations about his private life.

Ferguson admits he is proud that a United player will captain England at the World Cup in South Africa later this year and hopes the accolade has a positive effect on Ferdinand’s performances during the Premier League title run-in.

He said: “We’re pleased for him and it’s great for Manchester United to have one of our players captaining his country.

“Over the years we’ve had Gary, Bobby Charlton and Bryan Robson for 60-odd games or something so we?re very proud of that.”

Ferguson was happy with the patient display of his team against Avram Grant’s strugglers.

United took until the 40th minute to make the breakthrough but Ferguson thinks that his team, who have dropped just two points against bottom-half teams, were rewarded for their calm approach.

He added: “We had a lot of pressure and possession of the ball but we were patient enough and that?s important when teams come and sit in the way they did here.

“Portsmouth were there to make it difficult but we got the goal just before half time and it was a bit fortunate with the second one but that opened the game for us in the second half and it was a good performance.”

Ferguson admits he is willing Arsenal to take points off Chelsea when the two London teams meet at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The United manager added: “I don’t know if I’ll watch it or not because I’m going up to Glasgow but I’ll be thinking about it.”

Grant insists that Portsmouth, who face a winding up order, will continue to fight despite their position looking more and more dangerous.

The club are working under their fourth set of owners of the season and are seven points from safety at the bottom of the Premier League.

But the former Chelsea manager is hoping that the Fratton Park club have turned a corner.

He said: “We need to do our job even if it feels like it is going against us.

“I hope that the club will be more stable now. It was almost impossible in the last matches with all the mess around the club and uncertainty.

“I hope now it will be more stable and it’s important for the club. It’s a unique club the whole city is behind the club.

“On the pitch we are doing very well and when you look back over the years, the team at the bottom you see a lot of difference from them to other teams but there’s not a lot of difference between us and tenth place.

“All we want is stability at the club because it will be very difficult to continue like this.

“Positive thinking is always better than negative thinking and as long as we have the chance we will fight.”

United took the lead when Wayne Rooney scored his 23rd goal of the season and Anthony Vanden Borre’s own goal gave the champions a two-goal half-time lead.

Just before the hour, Michael Carrick’s shot looped in off the bar off Richard Hughes and Dimitar Berbatov added a fourth with a fine solo goal.

Portsmouth’s embarrassment was complete when Marc Wilson volleyed into his own net from Patrice Evra’s cross.

MANCHESTER (AFP)

Tags: accolade, alex ferguson believes manchester united, Anthony Vanden, avram grant, bobby charlton, bryan robson, calm approach, captain England, captain. Ferdinand, CHELSEA, England, england captain, england skipper, fabio capello, Gary, john terry, Manchester, odd games, patrice evra, Portsmouth, private life, richard hughes, rio ferdinand, second game, sir alex ferguson, South Africa, stamford bridge, wayne rooney, winding up order

John Terry stripped of England captaincy – your views

February 6, 2010

John Terry has been stripped of the England captaincy following revelations about his private life.

Here is England coach Fabio Capello’s statement:

“After much thought, I have made the decision that it will be best for me to take the captaincy away from John Terry.

“As a captain with the team, John Terry has displayed extremely positive behaviour. However, I have to take into account other considerations and what is best for all of the England squad. What is best for all of the England team has inspired my choice.

“John Terry was notified first. When I chose John Terry as captain, I also selected a vice-captain and also named a third choice. There is no reason to change this decision.”

That implies Rio Ferdinand now becomes captain.

Is the decision fair? Does it affect England’s chances in the World Cup?

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Tags: border, captain. Is, coach fabio capello, decision, England, england coach, england squad, england team, Englandâ, Fabio Capelloâ, Ferdinand, john terry, private life, revelations, rio ferdinand, statement, third choice, vice captain, World Cup

Terry vows to ´give everything´ for England football

February 6, 2010

John Terry said Friday he would continue to “give everything” for his country after being stripped of the England captaincy following allegations he had an affair with a former teammate’s ex-partner.

In a brief statement after a meeting with England manager Fabio Capello, Terry, who is married and has two children, said: “I fully respect Fabio Capello’s decision.

“I will continue to give everything for England,” added the 29-year-old.

The woman at the centre of the allegations, Vanessa Perroncel, the French ex-girlfriend of England defender Wayne Bridge and mother of his three-year-old son, vowed she would not give her version of events to the media.

Perroncel, who appeared on Sky News television alongside publicist Max Clifford, shook her head and mouthed “oh my God” when she heard the news that Terry had been dropped as captain.

In a statement read by Clifford, Perroncel said: “In recent days I have been the centre of a great deal of press speculation and comment.

“The details of my friendship with John and his family have been the subject of intense and wholly unfair and untrue media speculation.

“As Max has already said, much of the material in the press is inaccurate.

“I now find myself subject to other unsubstantiated and false claims which have appeared in the papers over the past few days.

“This has only added to the pressure which my family and I have been under.”

The statement said the media “have sought to pore over my private life and that of my family, which is very upsetting.

“I have decided I do not want to speak publicly about the speculation since it only seems to add more fuel to the fire,” it added.

Perroncel, a lingerie model, said her son was her “main concern”.

“I do not believe speaking to newspapers or the media is in his interest or my own. I do not wish to add anything more to what I have said,” she added in the statement.

As the news of Capello’s decision on Terry was announced, Clifford said: “Vanessa would also like to add that she finds it very sad that John Terry has been dropped as England captain.”

Terry and Bridge were teammates at English Premier League giants Chelsea before Bridge was sold to Manchester City a year ago.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: allegations, captain. In, CHELSEA, England, england manager, fabio capello, few days, former teammate, friendship, fuel to the fire, God, john terry, lingerie model, london, manchester city, Max, Max Clifford, media speculation, news television, newspapers, pore, private life, publicist max clifford, sky news, Terry, Vanessa, vanessa perroncel, wayne bridge

Terry dropped as England captain

February 6, 2010

John Terry was Friday stripped of the England captaincy following reports of an extra-marital affair with the ex-girlfriend of international team-mate Wayne Bridge, the Football Association (FA) confirmed.

The move followed a meeting between Terry and England’s head coach, Fabio Capello, at FA headquarters at Wembley.

In a statement, Capello said: “After much thought, I have made the decision that it will be best for me to take the captaincy away from John Terry.

“As a captain with the team, John Terry has displayed extremely positive behaviour. However, I have to take into account other considerations and what is best for all of the England squad.

“What is best for all of the England team has inspired my choice. John Terry was notified first.” Profile: John Terry

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: coach fabio capello, England, england captain, england squad, england team, ex girlfriend, extra marital affair, fabio capello, football association, head coach, john terry, John Terry LONDON, london, team mate, Terry, wayne bridge, Wembley

Ancelotti admits set pieces troubling Chelsea

February 3, 2010

The storm centred on John Terry’s future as England captain is not the only headache that Carlo Ancelotti has to deal with at the moment.

The Chelsea boss is also grappling with his team’s tendency to leak goals from set pieces amid fears it could cost them dear at the business end of the season.

The depth of Chelsea’s squad has seen them installed as favourites to reclaim the Premier League title from Manchester United.

But with United starting to hit form, Chelsea’s problems in defending corners and free-kicks have once again been put in the spotlight by the ease with which Steven Mouyokolo headed Hull into the lead in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at the KC Stadium.

Didier Drogba cancelled out Mouyokolo’s strike but Hull might easily have claimed all three points if Anthony Gardner had not missed an excellent chance from Tom Cairney’s free-kick.

“I know very well how many goals we have conceded from set pieces,” said Ancelotti. “Every team here in England has a very good jumper and a very good striker and it can happen that you concede a goal.

“How we score, sometimes we can concede. I think we did our best but it was a tough game and Hull played well and put a lot of pressure on us.”

Hull boss Phil Brown admitted he had identified Chelsea’s weakness on set pieces as a potential key to the outcome of the match.

“It’s my job to investigate how to score goals against Chelsea and they’ve conceded something like nine out of 10 of their goals, or something like that, from set pieces,” Brown said.

“If that’s the Achilles heel for Chelsea then we have to exploit it.”

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: achilles heel, Anthony Gardner, Brown, business end, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, didier, England, england captain, fears, free kick, free kicks, headache, HULL, john terry, jumper, kc stadium, london, Manchester, match, phil brown, premier league, Steven Mouyokolo, striker, tendency, Tom Cairney

Ancelotti backs Terry as Chelsea held by Hull

February 3, 2010

Carlo Ancelotti has backed John Terry to come through his personal crisis and lead Chelsea to the title despite his side’s disappointing failure to overcome Hull City in a 1-1 draw at the KC Stadium.

Terry’s week of woe showed no signs of improving as he was subjected to abuse on Humberside on Tuesday evening.

And just to make matters worse he was booked before having to watch his side drop two crucial points against Phil Brown’s struggling team, blowing their chance to open up a four-point lead over Manchester United at the top of the table.

Terry had to run a gauntlet of hate from the home supporters that promises to become a regular event for the defender, but Ancelotti insists his captain can handle the flak and will carry on playing.

Terry will meet England manager Fabio Capello later this week to discuss his future as his country’s captain following reports of his affair with the former girlfriend of international team-mate Wayne Bridge.

But he has the backing of Ancelotti, even if the Italian admits he might give the centreback a family holiday later this month when Chelsea face Cardiff City in the FA Cup fifth round at Stamford Bridge.

Ancelotti said: “Nothing can distract our concentration in this competition. In every game the Chelsea team has good focus and we can play good football.

“Concentration is always on top. This is an issue for me and John Terry. I think it’s not a problem. You can see the line-up against Cardiff.

“If he needs a holiday he will have one and if not, he will play against Cardiff.

“I don’t like to speak about this. It’s not a question I want to speak about.

“For him (Terry) nothing has changed. He continues to play a very good game and every game he’s living a good moment.

“He’s doing his best. The atmosphere in the team is the same. There has been no change.

“We are in a good position now. We are top. We know Manchester United are very good and it will be a long race until the end of the season.

“We are happy to have a two-point lead. This was an opportunity, but it’s impossible to win every game.”

Chelsea had to rely on Didier Drogba’s clinical free kick to salvage a point for the league leaders. It was his 20th goal of the season and cancelled out Stephen Mouyokolo’s opening goal for Hull, his first for the club.

Ancelotti praised the impact Drogba had on his return to the side following international duty at the African Cup of Nations and believes his form and fitness will be key as the season enters its final third.

Ancelotti added: “It’s an important moment for us, but we need to have all the players in good condition between now and the end of the season.”

Hull rode their luck at times with goalkeeper Boaz Myhill once again impressive but Brown is convinced this result can provide his side with the belief that they have what it takes to go on and avoid relegation for the second season in succession.

“Against the quality of the opposition, that performance is right up there. I’m just disappointed we can’t perform like this on a more regular basis,” said Brown.

HULL (AFP)

Tags: Boaz Myhill, cardiff, cardiff city, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, England, england manager, FA Cup, fabio capello, family holiday, flak, former girlfriend, gauntlet, good game, home supporters, HULL, hull city, humberside, john terry, kc stadium, Manchester, personal crisis, phil brown, stamford bridge, Stephen Mouyokolo, team mate, wayne bridge

Ancelotti may give Terry a break

February 3, 2010

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti may give skipper John Terry a holiday. The Blues boss might resort to giving Terry a break in order to deal with the much-publicized issues in his private life.

Terry’s affair with the ex-girlfriend of England team-mate Wayne Bridge has been put forth for the public eye, something which has led many to question Terry’s position as Chelsea and England captain.

England manager Fabio Capello is set to meet Terry on Thursday evening or Friday morning to address the situation. Meanwhile Ancelotti will allow his captain to miss the game against Cardiff on February 13 to spend Valentine’s Day with his wife.

Ancelotti said after Chelsea’s draw at Hull, “If he needs a holiday I will give him a holiday. If he doesn’t need a holiday then he will play against Cardiff.

“It is an issue for me and John Terry, it is not your problem I think.”

The Italian claims he has not spoken with Terry about the issue.

He said, “No. I have never had a discussion. I like to speak to my players (but) I don’t like to speak about this. It is not a question I want to speak about here.

“For him nothing has changed. He has played a very good game and every game he is leading very well. He is doing his best every game.

And Ancelotti has firmly denied that the saga had a negative effect on the morale of his squad.

“The atmosphere in the team is the same. No change.”

Ancelotti also vowed that the interest in Terry would not derail the Blues’ Premier League title bid, despite failing to take advantage of the game in hand at Hull.

“Nothing can disturb our concentration in this competition,” he said.

“I think that Chelsea are focused for every game.

“Sometimes we play good football and sometimes we have more difficulty but the concentration is always on top.”

Tags: captain England, cardiff, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, concentration, England, england captain, england manager, england team, fabio capello, friday morning, good game, HULL, john terry, premier league, private life, public eye, saga, skipper, Terry, valentine s day, wayne bridge

Hull apply the brakes to Chelsea title charge

February 3, 2010

Didier Drogba celebrated his return to Premier League duty with a first half equaliser at the KC Stadium to cancel out Stephen Mouyokolo’s earlier effort on a frustrating night for Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea.

Drogba struck his 20th goal of the season on 43 minutes to haul the Premier League leaders level after Hull defender Mouyokolo had headed Phil Brown’s Hull City side into a surprise lead with his first ever goal for the top flight strugglers.

But despite Drogba coming to the rescue it wasn’t enough to help Chelsea secure the win they so badly needed to restore their four point advantage over Manchester United at the top of the table.

The London club now have a lead of just two points and United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be thankful to Hull for holding his great rivals to a draw to blow the title race wide open.

Ancelotti had the luxury of recalling Drogba for the first time since he departed for the African Cup of Nations over four weeks ago, while England internationals Joe Cole and Ashley Cole had to be content with a place on the bench.

John Terry also maintained his place in the side despite the on-going pressure on him to resign as England captain following his off-field problems while Deco was recalled to the starting line-up.

Brown, meanwhile, made just one change to the side which was held to a disappointing draw with Wolves last weekend, recalling Craig Fagan on the right wing in place of Bernard Mendy. The Hull manager resisted the temptation to hand a full debut to new loan signing Amr Zaki.

Hull had gone nine games without a victory and found themselves entrenched in the relegation zone. Considering Manchester City were the next visitors to the KC Stadium then the immediate future looked bleak.

But Chelsea struggled to find their rhythm from the start and seemed to make Hull’s evening easier than expected.

Frank Lampard worried Boaz Myhill with a swerving drive inside nine minutes which the Hull goalkeeper could only palm straight to Nicolas Anelka but the French striker stubbed his shot badly wide with the goal at his mercy.

It wasn’t until the 24th minute that Chelsea threatened again when Branislav Ivanovic sent over an inch-perfect cross for the waiting Michael Ballack but all the German midfielder could do was power his diving header straight at Myhill from close range.

The longer the game went on the more Hull seemed to grow in confidence but it still came a surprise when they took the lead with their first real attack of the game.

Terry was nowhere to be seen as Stephen Hunt swung over a corner and Mouyokolo rose the highest to head past the helpless Petr Cech.

But Hull’s lead always looked fragile and it lasted just 13 minutes before Drogba levelled the scores with a powerful free kick into the bottom corner of Myhill’s goal.

Hull could have restored their lead on the stroke of half time when Tom Cairney’s free kick found the head of the unmarked Anthony Gardner, but the defender could only direct his effort over the crossbar.

Yet Chelsea always carried a threat and Myhill had to be at his best to keep the scores level with a fine double save just before the hour mark.

First he got down sharply to tip wide a skidding drive from Florent Malouda before producing an even better stop to keep out Drogba’s downward header from Malouda’s cross as Brown’s men hung on for a point that is of much more use to them than Chelsea.

HULL, England (AFP)