It’s about time that John Terry stopped focusing on himself and what he thinks about England’s tactics and instead got behind his manager. Fabio Capello has labelled John Terry’s comments to the media as a big mistake and he is right to say so as Terry has broken the dressing room sanctity and undermined his manager’s authority.
Terry addressed the press as though he was the manger and had the right to discuss pretty much whatever he felt like sharing. The worst thing Terry said was:
“Everyone needs to get off their chest exactly how they're feeling. If it upsets him [Capello], or it upsets any player, then so be it”
Firstly Terry shouldn’t be telling anybody that a team meeting is occurring unless it was with Capello’s blessing and after the Italian’s comments it clearly wasn’t. Secondly and the most important point, Terry cannot show a lack of disregard to the manager by implying that he doesn’t care if the manager doesn’t like what he or his team mates have to say. Capello is the one that picks the team and is the leader of the group and Terry is acting as though he is in charge, if Capello has a problem with what they think then it is very important.
Capello said on Terry’s decision to speak to the media:
“When you speak, you have to speak privately, not with you [the media]. This is a big mistake. This is a very big mistake.”
He added: “I know sometimes some players want to speak more with you than with the other players. The mistake is you have to speak with the players, with me, with the dressing room. I think it's only John Terry that’s said this, nobody has spoken with me about problems. My door is always open, if you want to speak with me, you can speak with me. Every time we have a meeting I say to the captain 'any problems?'.”
The Italian’s comments couldn’t be anymore right, although Terry has possibly tried to act in the best interests of the team, this press conference makes it look like he is bigger than the manager and that is unacceptable. Capello also makes it very clear that he will take on board anything that the players have to say to him and therefore there was no need at all for Terry to speak to the press.
Whilst John Terry wouldn’t have done this to intentionally hurt England’s chances of winning the World Cup he has acted without thinking properly and has selfishly only thought about himself. He for one should know better than anybody just how bad the press can be, so for him to go out and do something like this without his manager’s permission is beyond belief! He had his England captaincy taken away from him for his personal wrong doings and that should have been a massive wake-up call to him. But clearly the message that he can’t do whatever he wants, whenever he feels like it hasn’t gotten through to him.
What do you think about John Terry's actions?