You know a country has gone wild over a story when they break out the first aerial video footage of an SUV on a freeway. That would be England national squad coach Fabio Capello heading to a meeting with embattled Chelsea player John Terry earlier today. The coach later announced that he had relieved Terry as captain of the national team, sending the soccer-mad nation into a tailspin. To repeat: Britain doesn’t really care about Tiger Woods, but the Terry sex scandal is huge news. The soccer ball is their God, and one of their best players is constantly getting caught in the back seat of his car with 17-year-old blondes. It almost makes me want to be British. (Not really).
Well, at least Capello gave Terry a fair hearing; their meeting lasted all of 12 minutes. From the London Daily Mail:
The Italian acted swiftly — in a meeting which lasted just 12 minutes – amid a string of revelations about the Chelsea star’s private life and the misuse of his privileges.
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand will be named as Capello’s new captain, with Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard the vice-captain.
Terry will still play for England, as I understand it. Amazingly, it wasn’t the scandal surrounding his dalliances with a teammate’s girlfriend that did him in. It was this:
Terry’s position had become untenable following the Daily Mail’s revelations that his personal box at Wembley being ‘touted out’ for 4,000 pounds a match.
Terry’s contract to rent the luxurious 12-seater facility is subsidised to the tune of tens of thousands a year as one of his ‘perks’ as national team skipper. Its terms expressly forbid hiring it out.
Have all the sex you want, but when money’s involved, it’s all over.
Meanwhile, Deuce of Davenport finds this mix video featuring Sir David Attenborough’s classic narration of the PBS special The Life of Birds, used as voiceover to Premiere League soccer clips. I don’t recognize 90 percent of the references, but it’s still funny.
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John Terry axed as the England captain! Fabio Capello gets tough as Wembley box revelations prove final straw for shamed Chelsea star [London Daily Mail]
*yawn* Yet Another John Terry Scandal [Unprofessional Foul]
John Terry stripped of England captaincy – your views [Reuters Soccer Blog]
Sir David Attenborough Takes On The Premier League [Deuce of Davenport]
