RIO TO JOHANNESBURG

Fabio Capello did the right thing today by stripping the England captaincy from John Terry. Rio Ferdinand of Manchester United and England's current vice-captain will take over the role.

Terry's recent affair with the girlfriend of team mate Wayne Bridge was the straw that broke the camel's back following a long list of sexual indiscretions.

Fabio Capello has done the right thing for a number of reasons. John Terry's actions will undoubtedly affect the morale of his team. There will be those amongst his team-mates who see Terry as a captain invincible. Someone to be admired even. There are others who may feel that being the captain of England brings responsibility, leadership, pride and honour. Not words that are easily associated with a man who has behaved abysmally towards his wife and children and furthermore to a colleague. He has not learnt from his past mistakes but has continued to act with impunity.

Capello is on the brink of leading the England team to their first world cup final in over forty years. His skill and experience has steered England's players into a team which are hard to beat. Capello has made it clear that he does not tolerate the WAG and 'showbiz' culture that often overshadows and distracts the team's performance on the pitch. He simply cannot afford John Terry's antics to disrupt the dressing room and hamper England's chances of winning the world cup this summer. Capello gets my applause for not sanctioning the behaviour of a boorish, arrogant player who you get the feeling thinks that nothing can touch him.

I'm a little sad that an Englishman has behaved in this way and it took an Italian to stand up and send the message loud and clear that the captain's job means a little more than wearing an armband. I'm also sad though not surprised that John Terry didn't do the honourable thing - own up, apologise publicly, and stand down as captain.

The jury's out on Rio Ferdinand's suitability for the captaincy. Time will tell and all will be forgiven when he lifts the big one in Johannesburg...

OOPS, I DID IT AGAIN...

There's a media frenzy today following the furore surrounding the Chelsea and England captain John Terry's secret affair with the wife of clubmate Wayne Bridge. This follows Terry's lawyers trying to get a gagging order preventing details of the fling, but a judge yesterday overturned the court ban. The judge stated that he thought that the £170,000 week football star was concerned only with protecting his reputation and sponsorship deals. What reputation is that exactly?

The reputation that's seen numerous alleged romps with women? One in particular occurred in a nightclub toilet with a young lady on crutches. Classy

The reputation that cheats on your wife and family with a clubmate's wife?

The reputation that recently saw Terry organising a secret tour round the Chelsea training ground apparently in exchange for £10,000 cash?

The reputation that has seen Terry in the past being arrested for affray and wounding at a nightclub?

The reputation that saw him sobbing like a big girl when Chelsea lost the Champions League final to Manchester United?

For once in his selfish, childish and self-absorbed life, John Terry needs to do the honorable thing and stand down as England captain. He's a great footballer but it appears he is not a great man. Great men lead by example, not necessarily because they are saints, but because they have integrity, honesty and the respect of their peers. This latest infidelity is shocking not just because he has again cheated on his wife and family, but he has cheated on a team mate. That doesn't earn Terry the dressing room respect or support necessary for England's success in this summer's world cup.

The FA should oversee the England captaincy goes to a man who fully deserves to have the honour of leading his side out at Wembley and in South Africa. Someone who leads from the front and instills passion in others that sees England's best chance of winning the world cup since 1966. A family man who is not seen in nightclubs until the early hours sucking the face of some WAG wannabe.

Step forward Wayne Rooney...