Opinion split as to whether Chelsea star should remain England captain as racism investigation continues
British football fans are divided as to whether Chelsea defender John Terry should continue as England captain while the Football Association investigates the recent allegations of racist remarks towards Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.
- 49% think that Terry should not continue to lead England until the issue has been resolved
- 38% think that he should continue as England captain while investigations are carried out by the FA
- 13% aren’t sure
Speculation over England squad
Terry is currently the subject of an FA investigation following a complaint by a member of the public, arguing that he used racist language towards Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand in Chelsea’s recent 1-0 defeat against their West London rivals. As well as the Football Association’s investigation, the Metropolitan Police announced earlier this week that they were looking into the incident.
Newspapers have been full of speculation as to whether Terry will retain his role as England captain – and indeed his place in the team – for the upcoming friendly matches against Spain and Sweden. Recent reports suggest that Terry has been included in the provisional squad, but the final confirmation is unlikely to come much before the squad is finalised on Sunday evening.
Terry has received strong support from his club over the allegations, with manager André Villas-Boas, stating soon after the alleged incident that ‘We fully back John’ and promising ‘unequivocal support’ for the player.
Seldom far from controversy
Undoubtedly a talented footballer, this is not the first time that Terry has hit the headline for non-footballing reasons. He was stripped of the England captaincy in the run-up to 2010’s World Cup amid allegations he had had an affair with the ex-girlfriend of England team-mate Wayne Bridge. Following that scandal, however, he still remained part of the squad. In 2001, Terry and three teammates were apparently fined by Chelsea following an incident with American tourists at an airport bar, while in 2002 Terry and two other players were charged with assault and affray. They were later cleared of all charges.
