And all this talk of his return to England
JUST SAY NO!
Henry WInter/Telegraph
Politics and personalities are likely to get in the way of a return to England arms for Chelsea captain John Terry
In terms of football a recall for John Terry to international duty makes sense. But it is more complicated than that
Politics and personalities are likely to get in the way of a return to England arms for Chelsea captain John Terry.
Road of no return: The call for John Terry to play for England again is likely to fall on deaf ears Photo: PA
By Henry Winter, Football Correspondent
10:20PM GMT 04 Feb 2014
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The rising clamour for Roy Hodgson to recall John Terry to the England fold in time for the World Cup is highly unlikely to be heeded because of the politics and personalities involved. Terry, who has been in commanding form for Chelsea, announced his international retirement in September 2012, has since reiterated âthe door is closedâ and is known to harbour enduring grievances with the Football Association.
Gathering pace all season, the âTerry for Englandâ bandwagon accelerated after the 33-year-oldâs stellar performance in subduing Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Monday. Terryâs excellence stems from being reinvigorated by Jose Mourinho, from a conditioning regime that manages an old back problem and also because he enjoys regular rest during international weeks.
With Hodgsonâs central defence still unconvincing and the likes of Mario Balotelli and Luis SuĂĄrez hurtling Englandâs way in Brazil, there has been campaigning for England to build on Terryâs club understanding with Gary Cahill. âMust be hugely tempting for Roy Hodgson to pick up the phone to John Terry,â Gary Lineker, the former England captain, tweeted after Chelsea prevailed over City. âSolid regular partnership with Cahill. Best option by far.â
Lineker was assessing the issue from a purely footballing perspective. The situation is complicated, sensitive and likely to stay unchanged. Hodgson would need to know Terry were interested in returning before even countenancing a move guaranteed to cause palpitations in parts of the FA.
If Terry did come under consideration for a 79th cap, the FA would come under pressure to invoke a two-game international suspension on Terry under the guidelines of the England playersâ code of conduct. In 2012, shortly after announcing his England retirement, Terry was found guilty by the FA of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, the QPR defender.
Hodgson would have to make discreet enquiries of his senior players as to whether Terry could be deemed a divisive influence if recalled. It is understood that the antipathy felt by certain players towards the possibility of Terryâs re-entry into the dressing room has ebbed. Yet one thing would be certain: Terryâs return would generate an unwanted media circus.
Terry last featured for England on Sep 7, 2012, winning his 78th cap against Moldova in Chisinau, when he came off injured with two minutes remaining. He withstood a kick to the ankle in the first half, then twisted it landing awkwardly in front of the dug-out in the second half.
Hodgson asked Terry whether he wanted to come off with 20 minutes remaining, but typically he insisted on staying on. The pain worsened, the mobility became restricted, so Terry limped off. By then, Hodgson had used his three subs so England were left with 10 men as Terry headed down the tunnel of the Zimbru Stadium with a face like thunder.
Terryâs admirers will note there was something symbolic about his not being replaced.
Who can replace him? A few have tried. Four days later, against Ukraine at Wembley, Phil Jagielka stepped in alongside Joleon Lescott.
Jagielka and Cahill are now Hodgsonâs preferred central axis. Phil Jones and Chris Smalling will also be in the World Cup squad. Yet the area remains a weakness.
The contrast with Chelsea is obvious. Terry, along with Cahill, has been masterful at denying opposing attackers on the ground and in the air, through strength and anticipation. His distribution is good and he remains a threat attacking corners. The footballing argument for Terryâs return as voiced by the likes of Lineker is unanswerable.
His expertise is beyond question. He has vast experience accumulated through winning the Champions League, three Premier Leagues, five FA Cups and two League Cups. He captained England 34 times in a 78-cap career that comprised 6,312 minutesâ action, six goals and only four yellow cards.
A former PFA Player of the Year, Terry made his England debut in 2003, taking on Serbia & Montenegro, and featured at Euro 2004, the World Cups of 2006 and 2010 and Euro 2012 when Hodgson caused outrage by snubbing Antonâs brother, Rio Ferdinand, and putting his faith in Terry.
After the defeats to Chile and Germany last November, Hodgson played down calls for Terryâs recall to the dressing room, suggesting that the door was bolted on both sides.
âJohn retired a long time ago right at the very start of our qualifying campaign,â Hodgson said. âWe have played nine games without him. We have qualified without losing a game. So I think it is time for us to keep moving forward and not every time we lose a game start to turn back and turn back to someone who has been a fantastic player in the past.â
All England eyes now turn to Febââ27, the date on which Hodgson names his next squad.
Englandâs Wembley friendly against Denmark on March 5 is effectively the last rehearsal before Hodgson picks his provisional World Cup 30.
In the build-up to Hodgsonâs squad announcement, Terry leads Chelsea out against Newcastle at home and then West Brom away in the Premier League before the FA Cup tie at Manchester City. Then thereâs Romelu Lukaku and Everton at the Bridge before facing Didier Drogba of Galatasaray in Istanbul on the eve of the squad announcement.
All the signals from Terry are that he is adamant against returning. The Anton Ferdinand situation continues to reverberate. Terry was cleared in July 2012 by Westminster Magistratesâ Court of racially abusing the QPR defender but was then found guilty by an independent FA tribunal. He was banned for four domestic games and fined ÂŁ220,000.
Terry issued a statement, pointing out that the FA had reached a âdifferent conclusionâ to the ânot guilty verdict of a court of lawâ.
There was a feeling amongst Terryâs supporters that the FA seemed intent on ending his career. Announcing his England retirement before the FA verdict, Terry accused the FA of making his position âuntenableâ. His anger was particularly aimed at David Bernstein, the then FA chairman.
Bernstein had been behind the decision in February 2012 to strip Terry of the England captaincy after it was announced he would be standing trial. Bernstein was also known to be disappointed that the player received only a four-game suspension. Under Bernsteinâs scrutiny, FA disciplinary regulations were stiffened so that those found guilty of similar offences now receive a five-game minimum ban, possibly double.
On April 19, 2013, Terry refused to shake Bernsteinâs hand at a ceremonial Champions League trophy event in London. âItâs a difficult one for me â he went and spoke about me in the court case,â Terry said in confirming to Sky that he did not shake Bernsteinâs hand.
Bernstein stepped down as chairman last summer but those strongly associated with his reign, including the general secretary Alex Horne, remain at the FA.
At the time, Horne dismissed Terryâs âuntenableâ critique, saying that the playerâs retirement âlimits Roy Hodgsonâs optionsâ. They are likely to stay limited. Stranger episodes have occurred in the Three Lions soap opera but it would take a remarkable rapprochement to bring Terry, Hodgson, the FA and England together again.
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