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Andrew Bontiff argues that it was right to give John Terry his marching orders

There was really only going to be one outcome when England manager Fabio Capello sat down with John Terry to discuss his future.

Following Terry's alleged affair with the former partner of Wayne Bridge, Capello showed just why he is the man charge by stripping Terry of the England captaincy.

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand will take over the armband, with Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard now becoming vice-captain.

For Ferdinand, the promotion completes remarkable rise rehabilitation for his international career. In 2003, Ferdinand was banned from the game for missing a drugs test after being charged with misconduct by the FA for "the failure or refusal by a player to submit to drug testing as required by a competent official". An independent three-man panel found the case against Ferdinand proven and imposed an eight-month ban and £50,000 fine. The decision prevented him from selection for the European Championships in 2004.

The manager’s decision to remove Terry was tough and has continued to illustrate his strong and disciplined values. Capello demands his players conduct themselves in a professional manner both on and off the pitch, and rightly so because whether they like it or not footballers are role models. In the modern game it’s so much more than what they offer when playing the game. It’s now about what they say, how they dress and what they do away from the game. These high-profile players are in the media spotlight everyday and cannot afford to slip up and make the slightest of mistakes.

The nation may be divided in opinion but this is another landmark for black football. Ferdinand’s appointment of England’s permanent captain is a true testament to risen profile for black players in the national team, a credit to Paul Ince the first to do so in 1993.

How fitting it would be to see a black man lead the three lions out in South Africa. How inspiring it would be for the younger generation in the black community. Despite all the negativity drawn up about the towering defenders past, Rio really is a role model.

The 31-year-old from Peckham, South-East London previously described it as "an honour" to have captained England in Capello's second game in charge, against France in March 2008. "As a kid you grow up wanting to play for England and lead your country out and I've been given that honour of being able to fulfill those dreams," said Ferdinand at the time.

Ferdinand made his England debut as far back as 1997 against Cameroon when, at 19, he was the youngest defender to have been capped. He went on to play in the 2002 World Cup – where he was named in the team of the tournament and again four years later in Germany.

His eight years at Old Trafford have seen him earn numerous of major honours including four Premier League titles. It was Ferdinand that captained Manchester United to their 2008 Champions league triumph ironically against Terry’s Chelsea side.

Maybe Terry can take a leaf out of Ferdinand’s book. Rewind seven years and the former West Ham player was labelled as a disgrace to the national team after his infamous failure to attend a drugs test.

These scandals can easily tarnish a player’s reputation. In these hard times only the man in the spotlight can rise above and turn things around, something which Ferdinand has done.

He is no stranger to controversy with his ill-fated convictions of drink driving and speeding. Nevertheless in recent years he has really matured and has become a class act for both club and country, playing under two highly respected and successful managers in Sir Alex Ferguson and Capello.

Last season United boss Ferguson described him as "now the best centre-half in the world by far".

Ferdinand has always portrayed a calm and composed character on the field. With neat footwork, he is a player who likes to bring the ball out and start the attacks. He may not be a natural leader in the same mould of Terry but not many players can unite a squad quite like he can.

In time I do sincerely hope that the disgraced Chelsea player is forgiven by the public, but at present he has paid the price for his stupidity.

There is no doubt that the captaincy role is overrated in the beautiful game. It does not hold as much importance as in a sport like cricket.

I am in the opinion of that the days of the ‘Patriot British bulldog’ type of captain are now long gone. The ideal fact is that England have leaders across the field, wearing the prestigious armband or not you can guarantee that Terry will be as committed as ever and wear his heart on his sleeve. We know that Wayne Rooney will work tirelessly. We can be assured that the consistency of Ashley Cole will key.

We need to step away from the whole ’66 mania’ and move on. If there was ever a chance to make history it is now. The current England squad is blessed with truly talented players and have a considerable chance of lifting the World Cup in June. But the discipline of the squad will be essential. And in a proud Rio Ferdinand we have the right man to lead England in to a new era.

Published: 09 February 2010
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