Capello's wise move to usher Liverpool star Gerrard away from England

[Yozza]

More BS from the London based press.....

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/football/article-1047235/HATCHET-MAN-Capellos-wise-usher-Liverpool-star-Gerrard-away-England-captaincy-shake-up.html?ITO=1490

Head coach Fabio Capello has proved himself cleverer than he looks in dealing with the England captaincy conundrum.

Not by keeping John Terry on or making Rio Ferdinand his vice-captain, but by quietly moving Steven Gerrard out of the picture altogether.

Taking the deputy's responsibility away from the Liverpool midfielder has caused no fuss at all but it is probably the best thing the England manager could have done.

Gerrard - or Stevie G to Capello's predecessor Schteve McLaren - was considered a serious rival to Terry when he first got the job, but is simply not up to it.

People say he leads by example, but in his case that just means no rousing speeches, no dressing downs and no tactical leadership in the heat of the game.

In reality, Gerrard doesn't lead by example either. Just ask Senor Goatee at Liverpool. The midfielder may be very talented and a talisman, but he refuses to stick to a gameplan and always wants a free-role.

That would be fine if his managers wanted him to fulfil that function, but more often than not they don't. He is usually given a position with multiple responsibilities and if he doesn't fulfil one of them the whole team strategy can fall apart.

England need a captain and vice-captain ready to sacrifice everything for the cause, not a guy who is known in some quarters as StevieMe because of his self-centred approach.

Gerrard's recent record with England wasn't up to much either. On the pitch, while Terry was injured, he presided over the shambles against Croatia and Russia as Dutch Steve failed to mastermind qualification for Euro 2008.

Hatchet Man is not sure the memory of wearing the armband in the win against Estonia and the friendly victory in Austria adds up to much in that scheme of things.

[Woobus]

Cant really disagree and dont think he is proper captain material, would much rather have Carra doing it for Liverpool. Like many world class players they get the armband to keep them at the club, the same was for Henry at Arsenal. Thankfully at Liverpool we have captain type players all over the pitch so it doesnt really effect us to much.

[Elvoz]

Cant really disagree and dont think he is proper captain material, would much rather have Carra doing it for Liverpool. Like many world class players they get the armband to keep them at the club, the same was for Henry at Arsenal. Thankfully at Liverpool we have captain type players all over the pitch so it doesnt really effect us to much.

the first time you have ever posted and ive found myself nodding

keep it up

[Vermilion]

Doesn't lead by example.......what a load of crap, ok he may not make rousing speeches on the field, but to say he doesn't lead by example is utter ****e, it may be ALL he does....but he most definitely does it.

Remember the Arm waving in Istanbul......at that moment his players believed. He maybe doesn't have the ability to F and Blind at his team mates....a la Terry & Rio, but i don't think that article does him justice.

I imagine you could find many faults in the Terry/Rio captaincy credentials if that was the intention of an article. Like when push comes to shove Terry as Captain cant even stay on his feet to kick the most important ball of his carreer. As for Rio.........well, how would any one understand him, so that makes any speech to the troops useless.

Lots of bad blood towards Liverpool FC in general these days.

[PTP]

I think it's a bit of sly dig really! - how can he be critisicised for some of his england performances when in reality every player on the pitch in a englandd shirt during 99% of englands matches deserved shooting. Granted he had a few poor games for him!! - but thats just it, his standards are so much higher than everyone elses, that when he has looked poor for england, he still probably got 7 out of tens and was one of the better players on the pitch.

I also feel, he was hampered by mclaren's lack of nouse and trying to keep the media happy by continuing to play gerrard/lampard in the centre when it so obviously didn't work and gerrards own gamme appeared hampered as he was forced to sit deeper.

Plus, there has been plenty of times when gerrard has been the only england player on the pitch - was it someone like turkey when he played left mid and just ran the show???

That said i am glad he hasn't been made captain, and i'd be even happier if he just turned round and said **** england i just want to play for liverpool

Now on to the poitn of people questioning him as a captain!!!! Come on people, granted people have opinions, and carra makes a strong candidate for captain - and i felt after the gerrard/chelsea saga that maybe it should have been took off him - there is a few things he could improve on as a 'captain' but nobody is perfect and chances are if Carra was made captain people will be moaning saying he is isn't influential enough going forward and shouldn't be captain becuaes of blah blah blah. So whatever gerrard/carra/rafa/parry etc do this always going to be some cunts moaning

He has had some low points, and at times he has pissed me off but his highs and plus points far out weigh ANY critiscism that be aimed at him. He has been oour best player by ****ing miles since he walked it to the team as scrawny scallywag snapping people all over the park

Gerrard has been a great player, in fact something of a ****ing legend for us, he has maybe what -4 years or so left of being a top notch world class player for us - maybe we should be getting behind him and enjoying him whilst we can - cause god ****ing knows what will happen once he retires!!! - Players like steven gerrard don't grow on trees

[Vermilion]

Gerrard has been a great player, in fact something of a ****ing legend for us, he has maybe what -4 years or so left of being a top notch world class player for us - maybe we should be getting behind him and enjoying him whilst we can - cause god ****ing knows what will happen once he retires!!! - Players like steven gerrard don't grow on trees

[Imy]

thats a joke article, Gerrard is one of the few world class players playing for England, I hope he retires from international football anyway and concentrates his abilities playing for us.

[Vermilion]

thats a joke article, Gerrard is one of the few world class players playing for England, I hope he retires from international football anyway and concentrates his abilities playing for us.

Written to demean Gerrard, i see no credit in there whatsoever for Stevie, which makes the whole article.........as you say...A Joke.

[Exiled_red]

I'm glad Gerrard doesn't have the added pressure of the England captaincy. I have to say I don't like the tone of that article and some of the stuff it implies like Gerrard being to blame for England's shambolic performances against Croatia and Russia, saying he doesn't lead by example is BS.

There's obviously a London/Scum bias in this article, also the thought of Rio Ferdinand making rousing speeches?? The guy can hardly string a sentence together

[Vermilion]

When has Terry or Wio done anything so visibly inspiring as captain as Gerrard's arm waving after his goal in Istanbul........historic images, would still be seeing it every week had it been Terry or Wio.

When i think of all the shady piss up's Terry and Wio have been involved in, the sordid sex rumours ,amongst other things, i wonder how it sits with parents as an England Captain setting an example to the youth of today.

However, i too am glad Stevie wasn't given the england armband, what's good for LFC is good for Stevie Gee.

[Roboklopp]

Dont give a fork about england tbh. Rather stevie left his efforts to us.

Agree Carra would be a better captain, but I dont think you can say that Stevie doesnt lead by example.

[Fierce]

"For me to get it above the likes of Rio Ferdinand and the other players in the squad is a great honour," was Terry's immediate unifying cry.

A great honour, yes, but one richly deserved nonetheless. Capello was obviously impressed at the way Terry's alter ego Mr Chelsea performed during the penalty shootout at this year's final, where Mr Chelsea stood up to be counted when it really mattered, at least for a while.
Manchester United's captain, on the other hand, shied away from making a bolshie grab at all the glory himself, Ferdinand quietly letting his attacking midfielders and skilful strikers take (and score) all the crucial penalty kicks instead.

Compare and contrast, contrast and compare......

"Rio, when he was captain, played very well, the same level as John,"
said Capello as he explained his decision to choose JT over Ferdinand. "The big personality of John was the reason I chose John."

A "big personality" last evident on a football pitch in the aforementioned final, when the player could be spotted standing at the epicentre of a melee, chasing after a diminutive Argentinian in order to shower him with abuse, and sitting on the floor with his head between his knees crying. It's the sort of calm, distinguished leadership England simply can't do without.

Bobby Moore would be so proud.

[Rashid]

Both Terry and Ferdinand excel in wonderful teams, Steven is the catalyst for trophies in a far less talented team of 2004 and 2005. Let's be clear, Terry's leadership got England **** all in the past 2 years.. when they needed him most he was ****.

[Darth Marty]

I agree Rashid, Rio is a terrible choice for captain, whats he ever done to deserve captaincy? Plus hes a ******.

Terry is ok, he does give his all so thats fair enough.

Gerrard is a good captain and Im happy with him.

[bobbyfallon]

hopefully this spurs steve on and he says **** them il show them cunts resulting in him upping his performances for us...

aye and **** england and all international football for that matter