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Why have an England captain at all?

John Terry will still lead by example regardless of Fabio Capello's decision to axe him © Getty Images

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Regardless of what you think of Fabio Capello's decision to strip John Terry of the captain's armband, there has to be some admiration and respect for the clinical manner in which the Italian wielded his axe on Friday.

No clandestine meetings in secret locations, no unnecessarily long talks, and no periods of mystery prior to his official statement. Capello summoned Terry to Wembley, dealt with him in 12 minutes and then took only another 15 minutes or so before addressing the media with his decision. The England manager does not mess around, and the message conveyed to his players by his own actions is that they should not either.

Almost by default, the captaincy moves to vice-captain Rio Ferdinand, who will now go through a period of media investigation into his private life that would make MI6 enquiries look like a pop-quiz questionnaire. Which begs the question: Why have an England captain at all?

Terry's alleged actions with Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend only serve to highlight the fact that there is no outstanding candidate to put on a pedestal as the leader of the England football team. Capello even hinted as much when he arrived in the job in 2007, holding auditions for the captain's role that better resembled an edition of X Factor. Terry, having been doubted after the Steve McClaren reign, won those auditions.

His closest rivals all had their flaws. Ferdinand was less vocal than his defensive counterpart, Steven Gerrard is earmarked by Capello to be stuck out on the left at the World Cup and is struggling for form at Liverpool, Frank Lampard is not even Chelsea's captain while Wayne Rooney needs to keep his focus on leading England's forward line.

So while the pressure from the John Terry fall-out now switches somewhat to Ferdinand's shoulders, question marks should be raised over the necessity to lumber one player with the hopes of a nation. After all, what exactly does the captain's armband allow that one player to do other than leave the changing room first and flip a coin?

The importance of the captain's armband has always been an exaggerated one in this country, largely because it carries fickle connotations that allow supporters to form clear-cut heroes or scapegoats. Take Manchester United currently, where Ryan Giggs, Patrice Evra, John O'Shea and Rio Ferdinand have all skippered the team this season, yet the true leader has been Rooney. The public's response? Let's make Rooney England captain.

Wayne Rooney's form has prompted calls for his promotion to England captain © Getty Images

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Capello has a more levelled approach having been brought up the Italian way, where the captaincy is merely offered to the most experienced player. Unfortunately he is robbed of that option in England, because it would mean a return to the days of the Beckham media-circus, which would arguably provide more off-field distractions than any caused by Terry.

The truth is, England need 11 leaders in order to win the World Cup, they need 11 Rooneys taking responsibility regardless of whether they have a red band around their bicep. Terry will remain as vocal without the armband, Ferdinand will play the same game as he always does, so why make the captaincy an issue?

Allow Capello to flip the coin before the match if needs be, anything to symbolise that England have 11 men playing for one another, not playing with the girlfriends of one another.

The image of Sir Bobby Moore holding that Jules Rimet trophy aloft carries too much significance for a country trying to repeat the feat. Supporters imagine Terry or Ferdinand standing in the middle of the podium getting their hands on the glittering gold. Maybe the time has come for the team to pull together as equals, so that they actually make it to the podium in the first place.

Ben Blackmore is an assistant editor of ESPN.co.uk

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