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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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)

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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

Judge lifts media gagging order on John Terry

January 30, 2010

England and Chelsea defender John Terry was named on Friday as the sportsman behind a gagging injunction involving his private life.

Terry’s identity was revealed after a judge gave his reasons at London’s High Court for lifting the order which he originally granted at a private hearing last Friday.

It covered the alleged relationship between “LNS” – as married Terry was referred to in court – and another woman.

It also covered details about the relationship, including certain specific consequences, information leading to their identification and any photographs. Justice Tugenhadt was told that News Group Newspapers – publishers of tabloids The Sun and News of the World – wanted to publish a story about the footballer last Sunday.

The judge said: “I do not consider that an interim injunction is necessary or proportionate having regard to the level of gravity of the interference with the private life of the applicant that would occur in the event that there is a publication of the fact of the relationship, or that the applicant can rely in this case on the interference with the private life of anyone else.”

Terry, 30, who is expected to captain England at the World Cup finals this year, is married and has twins.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: AFP, alleged relationship, captain England, CHELSEA, consequences, gagging order, gravity, interference, interim injunction, john terry, Justice Tugenhadt, last sunday, lns, london, news group, private life, sportsman, tabloids, world cup finals

Judge lifts media gagging order on John Terry

January 30, 2010

England and Chelsea defender John Terry was named on Friday as the sportsman behind a gagging injunction involving his private life.

Terry’s identity was revealed after a judge gave his reasons at London’s High Court for lifting the order which he originally granted at a private hearing last Friday.

It covered the alleged relationship between “LNS” – as married Terry was referred to in court – and another woman.

Terry, 30, who is expected to captain England at the World Cup finals this year, is married and has twins.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: alleged relationship, captain England, CHELSEA, consequences, gagging order, gravity, interference, interim injunction, john terry, Justice Tugenhadt, last friday, last sunday, london, news group, news of the world, private life, sportsman, twins, world cup finals

Judge lifts media gagging order on John Terry

January 30, 2010

England and Chelsea defender John Terry was named on Friday as the sportsman behind a gagging injunction involving his private life.

Terry’s identity was revealed after a judge gave his reasons at London’s High Court for lifting the order which he originally granted at a private hearing last Friday.

It covered the alleged relationship between “LNS” – as married Terry was referred to in court – and another woman.

Terry, 30, who is expected to captain England at the World Cup finals this year, is married and has twins.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: alleged relationship, CHELSEA, consequences, gravity, interference, interim injunction, last friday, last sunday, lns, news of the world, private life, sportsman, twins, world cup finals

Claudine & Robbie Keane Expecting Their First Child!

February 10, 2009

WAG Claudine Keane has announced she is pregnant with her first child!

Claudine Keane (Palmer) at the Annual Cricket Fashion Show in Liverpool

Claudine told Hello! magazine: ‘I’m so excited! It’s just nice to come out now and finally say, ‘Yes, I’m pregnant!’.

‘Being pregnant is part of my private life and we wanted to keep it to family and friends until it reached a certain point.’

The WAG then went on to admit that Motherhood was going to be a very new experience for her: ‘I don’t have much experience with little ones, so it’s going to be interesting. I think motherhood comes naturally, though, and I’ve always been a maternal person.’

‘I said to Rob the other day that there’s never been a baby so wanted. We’ve been talking about this for the past three and a half years.’

Claudine also talked about her hubby’s recent return to Tottenham Hotspur, saying: ‘That’s the reality of football. It’s not like any other career – you have to be prepared to move around.’

‘Anyone who has been dating or married a football player will tell you that it goes with the territory: you’re always ready for the next step.’

She added: ‘I only want the best for Rob because he’s not only my husband, but my best friend, too.’

Congrats to the happy couple!!

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