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Axed skipper Terry vows to lead England

John Terry may have been replaced by Rio Ferdinand as England captain, but he has vowed not to change his on-pitch attitude © Getty Images

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John Terry has vowed "nothing will ever change" about the way he conducts himself as a footballer and a leader after emerging from the most turbulent period of his career.

Terry was famously stripped of the England captaincy and then suffered a drop in form after his alleged affair with former Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel came into the public domain early this year.

Bridge is a World Cup absentee because of his personal grudge against Terry and should anything happen to first choice left back Ashley Cole, for who Bridge would have been the back-up, England's harsh media spotlight could yet be turned on Terry once more. But after recovering his form for Chelsea as they went on to secure the domestic double, he is now in a defiant mood ahead of England's tilt at global domination.

When Fabio Capello summoned him into his office for his demotion from skipper, Terry assured the England boss he would still be the same driving force in the dressing room and on the pitch.

Now that Terry's period of turmoil is mostly behind him, he has vowed to make good on his promise and be the big personality England need to win the World Cup, especially with replacement captain Rio Ferdinand now ruled out of the tournament with injury.

"When I met the manager I stressed to him that I accepted his decision but he would continue to get exactly the same character,'' Terry said. "I am not going to allow my head to go down and beat myself up about it. I will just continue to be the same person.

"Nothing will ever change, either at Chelsea or with England. I will still give my opinion and make my presence felt, both in the dressing room or on the field. Like every other player, I am here to win the World Cup and will do everything possible, even if it is an opinion away from football, I will say what needs to be said.''

With Ferdinand no longer around, Terry knows his first priority is to be at his best as a centre-back going into Saturday's Group C opener against the United States. He is confident enough about doing it too, given his form steadily improved as Chelsea's season reached a Premier League and FA Cup-winning conclusion.

"My form got questioned earlier in the season but towards the end, Chelsea had a lot of big games and I stepped up and performed at my best level,'' Terry said. "When Chelsea did not win games I probably accept that I did not play well. But when Chelsea won - and we won a lot more than we lost - I played well.''

Terry admitted he got a "little bit nervous" when Wayne Rooney started launching into tackles during England's warm-up match against local team Platinum Stars, but he insisted the striker does not have a temperament problem.

Rooney was lambasted over his conduct by referee Jeff Selogilwe following the victory over Platinum Stars and warned that he risks getting himself sent off unless he curbs the excesses of his behaviour. But Terry insists Rooney's passion was just what England were lacking as they stumbled to an unimpressive 3-0 victory.

"I was a little bit nervous myself when he gave the ball away and went into the tackle, but that would have pleased the manager after the first half,'' Terry said. "I certainly don't think Wayne has a problem. From what we have seen in the last two or three years I honestly feel that he has grown up a lot.

"We could have done with a bit more of that (aggression) in the first half. He gave everyone a lift. We could have done with Wayne on the pitch in the first half giving everyone a kick up the backside.''

As it turned out, Capello was quite happy to administer the kicking. The Italian had believed a corner had been turned in the second half of the recent win over Japan, when his team got their old urgency back. It all disappeared in the opening 45 minutes on Sunday, and Capello was not afraid to let his players know it.

"He was not pleased,'' Terry said. "It was the worst, the angriest, I have seen him. We worked all week on pressing, not letting people turn and get time on the ball - and we did not do that.

"He had his say at half-time in a manner I have not seen before and it was quite understandable. But it sums him up. He is a winner. Even in training he can go like that from nothing.''

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