England has as good a chance to win Soccer’s World Cup, as they have had, since their only world title, back in 1966. They have been solid through their qualifying rounds.The Three Lions manager, Fabio Capello, has done an outstanding job molding the team. Now that they have a captaincy crises on their hands, with the revelations of team captain John Terry’s alleged affair with the former girlfriend of international team-mate,Wayne Bridge, what will be done to keep the focus of the team on football ? The woman being referred to is Vanessa Perroncel, a French-born underwear model.
As team sports controversies go, it seems that this one is being handled properly. At the end of the day, England general manager Franco Baldini has to decide if John Terry still has the ear of the England squad. Would his being kept on as team captain, cause any disruption to the team, on or off the pitch ? That should be the only question that matters. Do the rest of the players still want him to be their leader ? To what degree if any , do these athletes care about other players personal lives, and will it matter to them once the tournament gets underway in South Africa. ? Can Wayne Bridge and John Terry be on the same side and the same field ? How much of the decision should be deferred to other England players like, Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, as well as Terry’s Chelsea team-mates, Frank Lampard, and Ashley Cole, and the Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard ? Do these players still trust the Blues captain ? These are all important questions for the general manager to look into.
Football correspondent Harry Harris of ESPNsoccernet, had a fascinating perspective on the current controversy. He noted that “The Football Association didn’t sack David Beckham as England captain over his alleged affair with Rebecca Loos, they didn’t kick Bobby Moore out when he was arrested for stealing a bracelet just before the World Cup in Mexico………the nation would love a clean cut,morally perfect, PR savvy England captain…….they don’t exist. We all thought Steven Gerrard was as clean cut as you can get…..But his part in a drunken bar room brawl changed that perception.”
To a degree, this all reminds me of a conversation I once had with former NBA player, Team Canada coach, and Toronto Raptors analyst Leo Rautins, when we were discussing the various components that are necessary to make up a championship caliber team. Only a professional athlete would have been able to relate to the insight that he passed along, when he mentioned that in constructing an elite team, you may need to have a player, or may be more than one, who you wouldn’t want dating your daughter, but for the needs of a professional sports team seeking a championship, this type of athlete could be a difference maker.
If England wins the World Cup this summer, few of their fans at home, and right around the world, will care much about John Terry’s personal affairs. The over the top British fans will still energetically sing “God Save The Queen”, and celebrate in the streets of every city and town on the island. Just like sports fans around the world, the teams and individual athletes are usually remembered and revered for what they achieve in competition,and not all that much for the life they lead behind closed doors. Maybe the lesson will one day be learned, by fans of athletes and other entertainers as well. You should admire these people for their skills,but that doesn’t mean you need to admire everything they do, or expect them to be role models. If they are idyllic in their personal lives, that’s a bonus. But if you expect them to be much better than the rest of society, you are setting yourself up for a lot of disappointment. John Terry might still be a great captain for a soccer team, and at the same time, might have to work hard , like a lot of people, on developing and improving other aspects of his life.