Capello war with England chiefs over Terry snub
ENGLAND head coach Fabio Capello last night declared war on his paymasters, the Football Association, over their decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy because of his ongoing trial for alleged racial abuse.
In an extraordinary public outburst that reveals the divisions within the game’s powerbrokers over a highly sensitive issue, Capello said he did not support the FA’s move and openly criticised the intervention.
Asked whether he agreed with the FA’s decision, Capello said: “Absolutely not. I spoke with the chairman and I told him that I don’t think someone can be punished until it becomes official. I thought it fair that John Terry keeps the captain’s armband.”
Speaking on Italian television, Capello added it was “going to be civil justice, not sports justice, to decide if John Terry committed that crime”.
Capello’s open disapproval of the FA’s stance puts him squarely at odds with the governing body’s chairman David Bernstein, who led the move to take the armband away from Terry while the allegations hover over him. The FA acted on Friday following board-level discussions, after Chelsea skipper Terry’s trial was adjourned until July, meaning he stood to captain England at this summer’s European Championships.
Terry is accused of committing a racially aggravated public order offence towards QPR’s Anton Ferdinand in a Premier League match in October. He denies the charge and has entered a not guilty plea.
The FA did not block Terry’s captaincy or call-up to the squad for the November friendlies against Sweden and Spain and Capello made clear his wish to pick the 31-year-old. But his waging of a public fight just months before a major championship means the remainder of his £6m-a-year contract, which expires after Euro 2012, looks set to be fraught.
Ferdinand’s brother Rio, who has ruled out replacing Terry as captain, was verbally targeted by a minority of fans during yesterday’s draw between Manchester United and Chelsea.
The United defender was relentlessly booed while songs insulting his brother were aimed at him at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas played down the jeers, saying: “It’s a normal situation in the Premier League to boo a rival.”