Ferdinand the new skipper as Terry is sacked
Rio Ferdinand has stepped up to the job of England captain after Fabio Capello stripped John Terry of the honour yesterday following damaging allegations about his private life.
Terry met with Capello and his assistant Franco Baldini at Wembley yesterday following allegations of an affair with the former girlfriend of England team-mate Wayne Bridge - also a former club-mate at Chelsea - and the Italian decided the Chelsea skipper could not go on as England's leader.
Ferdinand, as vice-captain, now takes on the captain's armband but has experienced some desperate times in the game too, not least when he was banned for eight months for missing a drugs test and missed Euro 2004 as a result.
Now the 31-year-old knows, fitness permitting, he will lead England into their World Cup opener against the United States in Rustenburg on June 12 and, should they progress that far, the final in Johannesburg on July 11.
For almost his entire career, Ferdinand has been compared to another West Ham idol, Bobby Moore, now he has the chance to follow him into immortality.
"When I chose John Terry as captain, I also selected a vice-captain and also named a third choice," said Capello last night. "There is no reason to change this decision."
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Weather for Hartlepool
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 9 C
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