John Terry on the England Captaincy and his fitness.

A great article today published in the Telegraph about our Captain Fantastic John Terry. In the article Terry speaks of losing the England Captain's armband, what's happened afterwards and also on his fitness and has revealed that he hasn't been fully fit for five years now!.

Terry speaks first of all about the England situation he said:

"People presume we fell out, but there was no shouting and screaming the day he told me. I accepted it. I said to Fabio I would continue to train and play exactly as I had before, then we shook hands and that was it. I'm not saying it was a good day. Only the penalty miss for Chelsea in the Champions League final hurt as much, but we have moved on.

I suppose the only time I felt disappointed was during the next game against Egypt, which was a friendly, and the armband got passed around between five or six players. I just felt, 'OK, I've been stripped of the captaincy, but don't take the p*** out of me'. Fabio had told me at the meeting that I was still a big voice in the dressing room and he wanted that to continue, but on the night it felt the opposite."

Had I got the armband third, even fourth, I would have been happy, but Steven Gerrard was captain and first he went off, then Frank Lampard got it, and then Lamps went off and they gave it to Gareth Barry, and then he went off and it was anybody's. I think they would have given it to one of the stewards ahead of me. Even if it was a friendly, we were still there to win and you should put your best people in charge.

People might not like to hear this, but I just thought it was a little disrespectful. I had no choice but to get on with it, though. That is how I feel now. I don't envisage I will be captain again, but for two England managers, Steve McClaren and Fabio Capello, I was their first choice and I'm proud of that."

I still believe JT should be England Captain and that's all there is to it. You can imagine it has been hard for him, especially when he describes the Egypt game. To see the armband going from person to person and not to you when there is still a game to be won and being one of the most influential figures on the pitch must have been a real kick in the teeth. Maybe Capello and the England fans realise now just how important he remains.

JT also then spoke of his fitness. When asked when was the last time he was fully fit he he said:

"Maybe five years, maybe more, I can't really remember. If you can take an anti-inflammatory and struggle through, you do. A lot of players would tell you that, and it happens most weeks. Games are not so bad because the adrenaline keeps you going, but training on a daily basis when every time you move it hurts, that is a real battle.

The pain from this injury is the worst I have had, there is no way I can continue, but even on Sunday against Sunderland as the goals were going in, I was thinking, 'If I had played one more game, could I have made a difference?' I know a lot of people thought I was just ducking out of England but would be back to play for Chelsea against Birmingham City, but no. I'm 30 next month and I've got to start looking after myself."

I have to say I am surprised at the fact that he feels that it has been five years. He has been immense as usual in games and has remained one of the key players in our Chelsea team. Just imagine how good he would have been if he was fully fit.

I know we have Alex and Ivanovic, but I have said it before and will say it again, we miss JT when he isn't on the pitch and as soon as he comes back the better we will be!

KTBFFH.