The controversy surrounding England captain John Terry and his extra-marital affairs with a teammate's significant other has brought to head the responsibilities of a captain. Soccer America's Paul Gardner on the ideals and honor behind representing your country and team as their captain-
That was, oh, maybe 40 years ago, when the word "honor" was always attached to representing one's country. Terry would have been judged to have sullied that honor, and I doubt anyone would have argued the point.
I do feel quite sure that Terry's behavior, though it might escape in today's terms being either distasteful or dishonorable, surely ought to be unacceptable.
The USA went through a similar situation 12 years ago, with John Harkes philandering with teammate Eric Wynalda's wife. Coach Steve Sampson threw Harkes off the team, and then did the honorable thing by keeping his mouth shut about the background.
But that was then. For Terry, his luck ought by now to have run out. He has been in plenty of trouble before, all of it well, I'll try the word "unsavory" this time. You add all the incidents up and you wonder what sort of character you're looking at.
That's important, because being captain is surely about character. Either that, or it's about nothing. Terry's character is evidently badly flawed -- so what's to discuss?
The England coach, who happens to be Italian, is Fabio Capello, from a country where the family -- and the values of the family -- are held in exalted esteem.
If Terry remains the England captain, then we know that the position -- which used to be the highest honor the game could offer -- has now been dragged through the mire, and requires no particularly admirable personal qualities at all. Just the ability to play soccer well -- which, overlooking a cynical elbow here and a crude body block there, Terry can certainly do.
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