Terry named England captain

LONDON: Chelsea skipper John Terry has been appointed as the new England captain, the Football Association said on Thursday. Terry takes over the armband after David Beckham stepped down from the role in the wake of England’s World Cup quarter-final defeat on penalties by Portugal last month.

“It is the ultimate honour to be the captain of your country and I am very proud to be given this great opportunity,” he said. Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard, who was also tipped for the job, has been appointed vice-captain. Terry, 25 and capped 29 times, has helped Chelsea win two consecutive Premier League titles and established himself with England as a first-choice central defender.

England’s new coach Steve McClaren told the FA’s Web site: “Choosing a captain is one of the most important decisions a coach has to make. I’m certain I’ve got the right man in John Terry. I’m convinced he will prove to be one of the best captains England has ever had. “John has all the attributes an international captain needs — leadership, authority, courage, ability, tactical awareness and a refusal to accept second-best. He has been an inspiration for Chelsea and is at his best in adversity.”

England’s next game is a friendly against European champions Greece in Manchester next Wednesday. Terry’s first chance to captain his country in a competitive game comes on September 2 in a Euro 2008 qualifier against Andorra at Old Trafford. Terry’s appointment caps a remarkable comeback for a player whose promising career once looked to be heading off the rails. He faced charges over an attack on a nightclub bouncer at a fashionable London nightclub in January 2002, but was cleared of all charges in August of that year. Although the affair put paid to any hopes Terry had of winning a place in Sven-Goran Eriksson’s 2002 World Cup squad, it marked a turning point for a player who has since gone on to become a model professional.

A reliable defender with an eye for goal at set-pieces, Terry has been a driving force for Chelsea under coach Jose Mourinho and was voted the PFA union’s Player of the Year in 2004-05. His inspirational qualities will now be tested at international level as England look for a place at the Euro 2008 finals in Switzerland and Austria. —Reuters

Terry on

• Born: December 7, 1980
• October 1998: Chelsea debut
• June 2003: England debut
• June 2004: Plays at Euro 2004
• August 2004: Appointed Chelsea captain aged 23
• April 2005: Lifts Chelsea’s first league title since 1955
• April 2006: Second Premiership title
• June 2006: Sterling performance at World Cup
• August 2006: Named England captain