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Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

John Terry: 'I never deserved to lose the England captaincy'

• 'I accepted decision but did not agree with it and never will'
• Chelsea centre-back says 'stigma will always be there'

Dominic Fifield
The Guardian, Wednesday 23 March 2011 <li class="history">Article history
John Terry talks about the decision by England manager Fabio Capello to reinstate his captaincy Link to this video An unrepentant John Terry has urged any England team-mate unimpressed with his reappointment as captain to seek him out and discuss their differences face to face, with the centre-half unapologetic over his own part in being stripped of the job 13 months ago.
Fabio Capello summoned his 26-man squad on to the pitch at London Colney prior to training to confirm formally that Terry was his new permanent captain in place of the injured Rio Ferdinand, absent injured, and offered an opportunity for any dissenters to voice concerns. No one responded though Terry, who will begin a third spell as captain against Wales on Saturday, admitted he would field any concerns from team-mates disaffected by his reappointment.
"The manager called the group together and spoke, saying I will be permanent captain again, and that I'd done well on and off the field over the last year," said Terry. "He asked if anyone had any questions or anything to say. No one said a word.
"I'll respect anyone who comes to me personally and we deal with it one on one rather than me hearing things or listening to people talking in the media, claiming they know all the facts. I know I'm not going to be everybody's cup of tea but if somebody does have a problem, I would respect him coming to me in person. Anyone who's been around the squad for five or 10 games, I'd feel they should have the confidence to say what they feel."
Terry, Capello's choice as long-term captain after the auditions he introduced upon succeeding Steve McClaren three years ago, had been reduced to the ranks following a series of off-field controversies which included claims he had sought to gain financially from the role – suggestions he denies – before the World Cup finals, and allegations of an affair with Wayne Bridge's former girlfriend, Vanessa Perroncel. That last furore proved to be the final straw and Capello confirmed Terry had been sacked in a curt meeting at Wembley in February 2010.
That dismissal deprived the Chelsea defender of the opportunity to lead his country at the tournament in South Africa last summer. While Terry conceded he "respected" the management's decision, he continues to insist, even now, that he cannot agree with it. "I could understand it a little bit but once they, the manager and [the general manager] Franco Baldini, spoke to me – and it's difficult for legal reasons to go into detail – I just felt I didn't deserve to lose the armband.
"We talked through stuff – it was a 10- to 15-minute meeting – and we spoke openly and honestly. I accepted their decision. But that doesn't mean to say I agreed with it, and I never will. That's me being very proud and having been honest with them. I didn't agree with them, and I told them that face to face, but I said I respected their decision and I'd continue to work hard. They'd get nothing less from me.
"I know that stigma will always be there. It might ease a bit if I lead the team out in big tournaments and we are successful, but it will still always be there.
"I know that, with the England captaincy comes a responsibility. I totally understand that. But I'd like to think I've personally kept my head down and done the right thing over the last four or five years, really. As you get older, you live and learn. As a man, as a player, I've moved on, on and off the field. I concentrate on doing the right thing: playing well for Chelsea and for my country. I'm doing the right thing." Asked whether there had been any improvement in his relationship with Bridge, a former team-mate at Chelsea and with England, or whether he wished to say anything publicly to the full-back, Terry said: "No."
While it took until Tuesday for Capello to confirm to his players that Ferdinand's brief tenure as captain had officially ended, – with doubts within the national team's hierarchy persisting over the Manchester United's long-term fitness – Terry has already received messages of support from players within the party at his own elevation, not least from the man he replaces. Ferdinand texted on Sunday morning, ahead of Chelsea's Premier League game against Manchester City, and the pair spoke that evening.
"That goes to show what a great man Rio actually is," added Terry. "Naturally, we both said together that we've both got a lot to give in the dressing room. I wished him well, hoping he gets back fit soon, but he stressed the most important thing is England winning. That's what we all want. This is a massive thing for me. The emotion is quite overwhelming. I had the worst night's sleep ever last night, and was pretty nervous. It was like the first day back at school, an intimidating thing even though I've been in this position many times before.
"I wanted to draw a line under the issue now. I'm not daft: I know that, if we go to Wales on Saturday and win, it'll be a great stepping-stone for us but, if we don't get the right result, I know where the fingers will be pointing. I'm a grown man and am prepared to deal with that. But this makes me very proud again."

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

Matt Jarvis: England call-up came from desire to prove Millwall wrong

• England call-up is a 'dream'
• Being let go at 16 was 'gutting', says Wolves winger

Dominic Fifield
The Guardian, Wednesday 23 March 2011 <li class="history">Article history

Matt Jarvis spoke of his nerves at meeting fellow members of the England squad when he arrived at the team hotel on Sunday night. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian Matt Jarvis's has said his failure to secure professional terms as a teenager with Millwall was a source of motivation and admitted the rejection served as an "incentive" which has helped him win a place in the England squad for Saturday's Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales.
The winger, who had graduated through Millwall's ranks alongside his brother, Ben, was released as a 16-year-old eight years ago only to be snapped up later the same day by Gillingham. His career has been progressing ever since and having impressed in his second Premier League season with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jarvis trained for the first time with Fabio Capello in the hope of gaining a first cap either against the Welsh, or Ghana at Wembley on Tuesday.
"Not to have made the grade back then was gutting and there was a point where I thought: 'Should I carry on with this?'" Jarvis said. "It's hard to hear when you're 16, that you're going to be released, but you've got to be mentally strong. So, once I'd got my head around it, I used it as an incentive. It spurred me on. I went to Gillingham for a trial and managed to get a contract there, and everything has gone amazingly well from then on in. I'm delighted with the way I've got here, even if I missed out on the under-17s, 19s and 21s. It's given me a grounding and the determination to improve."
The last representative team for whom Jarvis played was Surrey's Under-15 side, though his form at Wolves over the past 18 months has merited his inclusion. Capello had selected him in provisional squads last autumn, only for the 24-year-old not to make the cut. Jarvis admitted he "hardly knew anyone" upon his arrival at England's Hertfordshire hotel on Monday evening, though he was personally welcomed by the captain, John Terry, and Capello.
He has since eased into life with the squad by beating Joe Hart and Michael Dawson at table tennis despite being "a bit rusty", though his new team-mates should have anticipated his natural talent. Jarvis's parents, Linda and Nick, have both been No1s in the English table tennis rankings. "I was a bit nervous coming down in the car because I didn't know the other lads personally, but now I feel a bit more comfortable," he added. "It's a dream for anyone to play for their country, and I was speechless when the call came."
All but Glen Johnson and Scott Parker of the England squad trained fully, with the Liverpool full-back undertaking gym work – he will be available for the game at the Millennium Stadium – while the West Ham midfielder was granted permission not to take part following the death of his father last Friday. Parker is in contention to play alongside Jack Wilshere in Cardiff, where England are anticipating a Premier League-style contest against the Welsh.
Capello and his staff scrutinised the fitness of their squad and have been encouraged by Andy Carroll's condition, despite the Liverpool striker having only made two starts since the end of December after thigh problems. They are inclined to hand the £35m forward his first competitive start alongside Wayne Rooney, and may recall Phil Jagielka to play alongside Terry at the heart of their defence.

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

Matt Jarvis: England call-up came from desire to prove Millwall wrong

England call-up is a 'dream'
Being let go at 16 was 'gutting', says Wolves winger

Dominic Fifield
The Guardian, Wednesday 23 March 2011 <li class="history">Article history

Matt Jarvis spoke of his nerves at meeting fellow members of the England squad when he arrived at the team hotel on Sunday night. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian Matt Jarvis's has said his failure to secure professional terms as a teenager with Millwall was a source of motivation and admitted the rejection served as an "incentive" which has helped him win a place in the England squad for Saturday's Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales.
The winger, who had graduated through Millwall's ranks alongside his brother, Ben, was released as a 16-year-old eight years ago only to be snapped up later the same day by Gillingham. His career has been progressing ever since and having impressed in his second Premier League season with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jarvis trained for the first time with Fabio Capello in the hope of gaining a first cap either against the Welsh, or Ghana at Wembley on Tuesday.
"Not to have made the grade back then was gutting and there was a point where I thought: 'Should I carry on with this?'" Jarvis said. "It's hard to hear when you're 16, that you're going to be released, but you've got to be mentally strong. So, once I'd got my head around it, I used it as an incentive. It spurred me on. I went to Gillingham for a trial and managed to get a contract there, and everything has gone amazingly well from then on in. I'm delighted with the way I've got here, even if I missed out on the under-17s, 19s and 21s. It's given me a grounding and the determination to improve."
The last representative team for whom Jarvis played was Surrey's Under-15 side, though his form at Wolves over the past 18 months has merited his inclusion. Capello had selected him in provisional squads last autumn, only for the 24-year-old not to make the cut. Jarvis admitted he "hardly knew anyone" upon his arrival at England's Hertfordshire hotel on Monday evening, though he was personally welcomed by the captain, John Terry, and Capello.
He has since eased into life with the squad by beating Joe Hart and Michael Dawson at table tennis despite being "a bit rusty", though his new team-mates should have anticipated his natural talent. Jarvis's parents, Linda and Nick, have both been No1s in the English table tennis rankings. "I was a bit nervous coming down in the car because I didn't know the other lads personally, but now I feel a bit more comfortable," he added. "It's a dream for anyone to play for their country, and I was speechless when the call came."
All but Glen Johnson and Scott Parker of the England squad trained fully, with the Liverpool full-back undertaking gym work he will be available for the game at the Millennium Stadium while the West Ham midfielder was granted permission not to take part following the death of his father last Friday. Parker is in contention to play alongside Jack Wilshere in Cardiff, where England are anticipating a Premier League-style contest against the Welsh.
Capello and his staff scrutinised the fitness of their squad and have been encouraged by Andy Carroll's condition, despite the Liverpool striker having only made two starts since the end of December after thigh problems. They are inclined to hand the £35m forward his first competitive start alongside Wayne Rooney, and may recall Phil Jagielka to play alongside Terry at the heart of their defence.

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

James Collins: England should be worried by Wales' attacking prowess

• Collins confident before Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff
• 'A full house in the Millennium Stadium will be intimidating'

Stuart James
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 22 March 2011 22.30 GMT <li class="history">Article history

Wales's James Collins is expected to have recovered from a calf injury to be fit to face England on Saturday. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images James Collins has issued a bullish message ahead of Saturday's Euro 2012 qualifier, claiming that Fabio Capello and his England players should be "worried" about the prospect of facing a Wales side that includes Gareth Bale, Craig Bellamy and Aaron Ramsey.
Collins believes the rare availability of the three stellar names of Welsh football, allied to an intimidating atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium, will make life uncomfortable for England. It is the first time that the venue has been sold out for an international football match since the two nations met six years ago, when England triumphed 1-0, although Collins expects Wales to carry a much greater threat on this occasion.
"It will be a completely different game this time, with the players we've got going forward," said Collins, who is expected to be fit after struggling with a calf problem and is also likely to be named as the new Wales captain. "With Gareth Bale and Craig Bellamy on the wings, we know that's our strength. We've got to take the game to them. We'll work on that in training, on attacking them. If you sit back they're good players and a good team; they will punish you so we are certainly going to have a right go at them.
"I think they will be quite worried; our attacking players are as good as any team around. They are certainly going to be cautious and a full house in the Millennium Stadium will be an intimidating atmosphere for them. I didn't train [on Tuesday] fully but I watched from the sidelines and the boys are looking as sharp as I think I've seen a Wales training session."
Glenn Hoddle, a former England player and manager, has already expressed doubts about how the younger members of Gary Speed's squad will handle playing in front of a capacity stadium at the Millennium Stadium, but Collins believes the crowd will be a help and not a hindrance to his team. "You can't be daunted if it is the majority of Welsh fans behind us wanting us to beat the English," he said. "The boys have not got to be worried; just get out there and concentrate on the job."
There is certainly a sense that Speed's appointment as manager has been welcomed by most of the squad after the John Toshack years. "Just being around the place you can tell the professionalism and the way things have changed for the better," Collins said. "It is more of a club atmosphere, how we are preparing for training and the game. Intensity, organisation and enthusiasm in training, it all seems to have gone up. It's been great."
Collins admitted that international duty has provided some welcome respite from a "difficult couple of weeks" at his club, Aston Villa, where he was fined two weeks' wages for his part in a drunken row during a team-bonding session.
"Obviously it wasn't great," he said. "It's not something I want to go into at the minute. I want to come away and focus on one thing and that is getting three points for Wales against England."

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

Wales players told to learn words of national anthem

• Gary Speed gives squad Welsh and phonetic versions
• Miss Wales, Courtenay Hamilton, helps players hit right notes

Stuart James
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 22 March 2011 22.30 GMT <li class="history">Article history

Wayne Hennessey, a Welsh speaker, says that for a long time his was the only voice he could hear when the Wales players lined up before a match for the national anthem. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA Wire/PA Photos Gary Speed's desire to galvanise the Wales players has led him to take the unusual step of issuing copies of the national anthem to his squad and asking them to learn the words. Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, or Land of My Fathers, might not come easily to all the players but Speed has enlisted the help of Courtenay Hamilton, who is the current Miss Wales 2010 and will sing the anthem on Saturday, to provide a few tips on how to hit the right notes before the England game.
"We are all learning it," said the Millwall striker Steve Morison, whose task is made slightly harder given that he was born in Enfield. "We have been given the Welsh version and the phonetic version. The lady who is singing the national anthem this Saturday gave us a lesson. We all had to get up and sing it on Sunday night. You can call it the X-Factor if you want. Wayne Hennessey and Aaron Ramsey are Welsh speakers, but Gary lightened the mood by saying that he used to mime because he didn't want to get the words wrong. Our big aim this week is to get the fans back behind us and get the belief back into the squad. If it gives us an extra one per cent, then that can only be a good thing."
Ashley Williams, another member of the Wales squad born in England, felt obliged to make a special effort to learn the Welsh national anthem when he was called up for the first time in 2008. The Swansea City defender asked Owain Tudor-Jones, his Welsh-speaking team-mate, to give him a few lessons and also downloaded the anthem on to his iPod so that he could practise it.
Hennessey, though, claims that for a long time his was the only voice that he could hear when the Wales players lined up before a match.
"Back in the day I was the only guy singing the national anthem and it didn't feel right," the Wales goalkeeper said. "Now Gary wants all of us to have a go at singing it and that's got to be a good thing.
"Gary handed out the sheets before our game against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin and I think something like that can help in the long run. Of course, some people are in the moment and are just ready to play and want to concentrate on the game. But it's great if the anthem stirs players and gets them passionate about playing for their country."

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

Wales players told to learn words of national anthem

Gary Speed gives squad Welsh and phonetic versions
Miss Wales, Courtenay Hamilton, helps players hit right notes

Stuart James
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 22 March 2011 22.30 GMT <li class="history">Article history

Wayne Hennessey, a Welsh speaker, says that for a long time his was the only voice he could hear when the Wales players lined up before a match for the national anthem. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA Wire/PA Photos Gary Speed's desire to galvanise the Wales players has led him to take the unusual step of issuing copies of the national anthem to his squad and asking them to learn the words. Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, or Land of My Fathers, might not come easily to all the players but Speed has enlisted the help of Courtenay Hamilton, who is the current Miss Wales 2010 and will sing the anthem on Saturday, to provide a few tips on how to hit the right notes before the England game.
"We are all learning it," said the Millwall striker Steve Morison, whose task is made slightly harder given that he was born in Enfield. "We have been given the Welsh version and the phonetic version. The lady who is singing the national anthem this Saturday gave us a lesson. We all had to get up and sing it on Sunday night. You can call it the X-Factor if you want. Wayne Hennessey and Aaron Ramsey are Welsh speakers, but Gary lightened the mood by saying that he used to mime because he didn't want to get the words wrong. Our big aim this week is to get the fans back behind us and get the belief back into the squad. If it gives us an extra one per cent, then that can only be a good thing."
Ashley Williams, another member of the Wales squad born in England, felt obliged to make a special effort to learn the Welsh national anthem when he was called up for the first time in 2008. The Swansea City defender asked Owain Tudor-Jones, his Welsh-speaking team-mate, to give him a few lessons and also downloaded the anthem on to his iPod so that he could practise it.
Hennessey, though, claims that for a long time his was the only voice that he could hear when the Wales players lined up before a match.
"Back in the day I was the only guy singing the national anthem and it didn't feel right," the Wales goalkeeper said. "Now Gary wants all of us to have a go at singing it and that's got to be a good thing.
"Gary handed out the sheets before our game against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin and I think something like that can help in the long run. Of course, some people are in the moment and are just ready to play and want to concentrate on the game. But it's great if the anthem stirs players and gets them passionate about playing for their country."

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

Rutashubanyuma · Mar 23, 2011

FA agrees to allow Uefa to sell TV rights for England qualifiers

• Deal beginning in 2014 is worth £25m a year
• FA Cup matches to be sold separately from internationals

Owen Gibson in Paris
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 22 March 2011 14.35 GMT <li class="history">Article history

Michel Platini's plan to sell all rights to Uefa nations' competitive internationals has been agreed by its 53 members. Photograph: Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images The Football Association has signed up to a Uefa scheme to centralise the sale of its international television rights after securing important guarantees, but now faces a huge challenge to reconcile it with its own FA Cup deals.
The Uefa president Michel Platini on Tuesday confirmed that all 53 member associations had agreed to a collective selling model for international qualifiers from 2014.
The FA had been concerned that it would be left disadvantaged by the plan but has succeeded in securing minimum guarantees that will bring in about £25m a year. The FA is understood to have negotiated until late on Saturday night and believes the amount it will get under the centralised Uefa deal will exceed its existing income from international rights.
"We thought it through long and hard and we have got a good deal for ourselves out of it. It is higher than the current valuation of our rights," said the FA general secretary, Alex Horne.
"We have gone into this with our eyes wide open. It is a creative idea and we believe it will work."
As part of the negotiations, Uefa also dropped an earlier idea to try and centralise the sponsorship and marketing rights. Uefa will market the collective rights to European Championships and World Cup qualifiers in four-year cycles, beginning in 2014.
That leaves the FA with a dilemma over its FA Cup rights, the value of which has been driven by selling them jointly with internationals in recent years. Under four-year deals signed at the height of the market, the rights to FA Cup and England internationals were sold for £425m domestically and £150m overseas. But Setanta, which contributed £150m, then collapsed into administration and the FA filled the hole by signing a new four-year deal with ESPN.
With the two contracts – one with ITV and one with ESPN – now out of sync, it is understood that the FA will attempt to sell a two-year deal to either ITV or the BBC in order to harmonise the cycles again.
That would enable the FA to market the rights to the FA Cup, currently subject to an ongoing review in a bid to rebuild its appeal, concurrently with Uefa's international rights in a bid to maintain their value.
Maximising value from its TV rights is vital to balancing the FA's books, which are still encumbered by repayments on the loans taken out to build Wembley.
The Uefa president, Michel Platini, said centralising the match rights was "essential". Uefa hopes that the arrangement will leave smaller national sides less reliant on luck in drawing a big name to maximise revenues and able to plan for the long term.
"It is a project aimed, above all, at protecting and developing national team football. And, what is more, the knock-on effect will be guaranteed revenue for each association," said Platini.
"You will therefore all be able to concentrate on the football, without having to worry what the draws might throw up and whether their outcome will be favourable – or not – in terms of TV rights."

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