new england captain

[shoot_ffs]

has to be gerrard for me providing he can keep injury free. glad to see becks out tho he was never skipper material.

[Welsh Spur]

Owen Hargreaves!!!!!

No seriously, I'm going to avoid the media man and not say JT, I think it has to be Gerrard, no-one else is suited.

[Spur]

Only a fool would say anyone other than Gerrard. He is the one man who leads by example. Over the last two years you can see the transformation that his leadership has had opn Liverpool. Terry's team are winning for another reason and it has to do with £££££££££££

[MarlowSpurs]

Theo Walcott for the captains armband. He's good at warming the bench seat.

[Shuggie13]

Gerrard or Terry now, Dawson in 4 years time.

[WelshSpur82]

I wouldnt look much past Terry

[highlander]

its definately between stevie G & JT, despite the brilliance of ledders with the armband. i think who McClaren decides upon will be a clear sign of how he will coach the team and his managerial tendencies. if Gerrard, we will play more open football and the onus will be on creating decent chances and scoring goals. if Terry he will be take less risks and build on a solid defence and good set piece play.

my pick would be gerrard, despite terry's lionheart style and being a great leader of men, gerrard can do absolutely everything leads by example and has proved his importance and leadership at liverpool, who unlike chelsea have not bought all their success.

[Chinaman]

I'd go with Terry as he never lets up. Even Gerrard had his head doen at times yesterday.

[mjbmedia]

Gerrard captaining England, so what would have happened yesterday when hed already had enough at half time??
Id give it to Rooney, you know what a transformation in attitude we got from Becks when he got given it, no more dumb ass stuff, well hope to get the same from the big lad and hes 100% effort .

Gerrard can **** off to Liverpool , he finally gets passionate about something now we're out
http://www.football365.com/news/story_187992.shtml

[Chinaman]

Rooney would have been a skinhead if not for his talent on the field. He's gone too big-headed and he's too indicipined to be captain.

[mjbmedia]

yeh thats what they said about Beckham but the captaincy changed him in that way, Terry was a right prick before he was really recognised at Chelsea, used to see him down ROmford pissed/drugged up out clubbing Fri/Sat nights , then he got given some responsibility and grew up fast.

[JJ]

Gerrard, no question. He didn't have the best tournament, but i put that mostly, if not entirely, down to Sven.

[singapore spur]

i would go for terry , if only because i dont want to see gerrard fall into beckhams trap of a couple of seasons ago , where he was trying to be everywhere and do everything himself (fair play to him and his energy levels )
getting dragged out of his position can be so dangerous at intl level , gerrard can get away with it at liverpool most games but we need him to be more disciplined for england

[mjbmedia]

funny, i never saw Sven on the pitch giving the ball away or shooting wide/over and kicking feeble penalties ;-)

i know what you mean really tho

[Houdini logic]

McLaren will probably give it to Downing!

[marcusto]

For me it has to be out of StevieG or JT.... Not really fussed on who... but as long as its not Neville or Owen, who are being touted as next England Capt

[Welsh Spur]

I wouldn't complain about Neville, but Owen? FFS!!!!

[spurs61]

It has to be Stevie G, inspirational for Liverpool and finally demonstrated that he is a top class International. We should build he team around him for the next 6 years or so, Rooney is such a talent that he just needs to be on the pitch but not neccesarily the focal point of the side.

[SurreySpur]

For me it has to be John Terry, he has real leadership qualities as he's shown at chelscum. I have to say that i prefer having a captain that is in one of the defensive positions.

[russpies]

I think like the rest of England it has to be John Terry or Stevie Gerrard these two always wear their hearts on the sleeve anyway.
Just one more thing if Stevie G got the armband i just wonder if he will produce the perfomances that he does for Liverpool , if he does this can only be good for us too !!!!!

[Welsh Spur]

It has to be Stevie G, inspirational for Liverpool and finally demonstrated that he is a top class International. We should build he team around him for the next 6 years or so, Rooney is such a talent that he just needs to be on the pitch but not neccesarily the focal point of the side.
Bang on there mate. Absolutely smacked the nail right on the head. The team is so over hyped in all areas that the pressure on them is unreasonable. We should heed this for the future, but the press will never change, will they?!

Rooney is 20....the same age as me, and I'm not really sure how I'd cope with the pressure of being expected to shift the earth for England. (Yes, I do actually qualify!!!) Yes, he's a special one, but God, he isn't. Or a miracle worker. You get what I mean. I'm sure SG and WR are best mates also, maybe Rooney could learn a lot from Gerrard should he become captain.

[Hayes Massive]

Has to be stevie G for me,Terry no 2.

[LEEBOYSPUR]

depends on whether you buy into the old cliche that a captain needs to play in a certain position. If you reckon, as I do, centre midlfield is the only place you can positively influence what happen throughout the side, then Stevie G is the only option.

But he'll have to become a little less diffident than he is now. He is a superb player, but tends to play in his own little world. If he gets it, he has a chance to stamp himself on the McClaren regime much as Beckham will always be seen as Eriksson's man. He needs to put himself about a bit - there's no point getting gobby about Ronaldo after the event - a kick up the arse or turning the Rooney thing into a huge 20 man push-fest and confusing the ref would not have gone amiss.

[England's No.1]

It's a very tough choice between Stevie G. and JT, but, for me John Terry edges it because of the position he plays. I think a captain should lead from the back.

I've never understood why goalies are never considered for captaincy (not that I think Robbo should in this case), but I think the position they plays gives them a chance to see the whole game and lead the team where they need to go. Maybe it's simply because you have to be crazy to be a goalie in the first place and therefore lack certain leadership skills.

[shoot_ffs]

i wonder whether terry will be nailed on for the side anyway. ledders will be playing euro footy next year and with his pace, will certainly press terry for the position. mclaren might fancy king over terry, he has the experience to catch up on, but for me terry made a few bad errors this world cup and the opposition singled him out to leave him last man and he looked pretty slow. has to be gerrard for me.

[England's No.1]

I don't think King would be replaying Terry in the side for two reasons.

1) Rio would be the one that should be dropped IMO, as he is a bit more flouncy then Terry, and has never looked the same player, IMO, since his lenghty ban.

2) I think Dawson will beat King to any vacant England spot, he has come on leaps and bounds since he joined us, and although he still has a bit of work to do, his progress so far shows, IMO, he is capable of becoming a much better defender than King.

[Welsh Spur]

It's a very tough choice between Stevie G. and JT, but, for me John Terry edges it because of the position he plays. I think a captain should lead from the back.

I've never understood why goalies are never considered for captaincy (not that I think Robbo should in this case), but I think the position they plays gives them a chance to see the whole game and lead the team where they need to go. Maybe it's simply because you have to be crazy to be a goalie in the first place and therefore lack certain leadership skills.

I don't think a goalkeeper is adequately involved in a match to fulfil the captain's role. But there are always exceptions to the rule. One that springs to mind for me, although I don't think he captained any team, is Peter Schmeichel who was, let's face it, larger than life, a massive character.

John Terry is apparently odds-on.

Is it generally thought that JT and Ledley can't play together? I think they'd be ideal, although Rio has raised his stock a little this WC as pre-WC I would have had LK and JT as my central partnership, if Ledley wasn't injured.

[dommo]

Rooney would have been a skinhead if not for his talent on the field. He's gone too big-headed and he's too indicipined to be captain.

Sounds like Roy Keane 10-12 yrs ago. Armband did him no harm at all did it

Still reckon it has to be Gerrard though

[Robbo1]

It's gotta be Stevie G for me.

[Raggy]

Rooney, it will help teach him dissipline

[highlander]

there is no way a 20 year old should captain his national side, rooney is a leader but he shouldnt be captain this time round

[Chinaman]

Aside from being English and because of the patriotic feelings around, there is nothing that is likeable of Rooney's demeanor. Watching him in this WC and also in the league matches, he is so short-fused that one can expect him to implode anytime. At times his behaviour can be described as wild. How can he be captain.

[mjbmedia]

cos hes the only one who seemed proud to be and playign for England, so much so he wanted to do everything for them ala Beckham V Greece .
the rest didnt seem to give a **** about the shirt , the much vaunted Stevie G only scored his cracker v T&T in the final minute when it was all over anyway so no rpessure there then, and ok his header V Sweden was needed , but that was it, **** all else, no passion, little energy
Nobody got invloved between Rooney and Ronaldo quick enough, mark my words if Becks had been on the pitch he'd have been between the two of them before anything could have happened, true captaincy, but where was everyone, too ****ing lazy to help out their teammate except Hargreaves who got there a bit late.
SG as captain, hes gotta do something for England when they are under real pressure first and not keep doing his ****ing noncy back passes that led to France scoring, gave it away to Portugal on Saturday and led to HEnry scoring for the scum v the scouse and those extra two points cost us the CL!!! **** SG until he learns to pass it forwards

[singapore spur]

on another thread i picked king and dawson as our central defensive partnership for england , and if that was the case then king for captain .
but from what we got rooney too young , neville too old , owen too injured and quiet , so go for terry . let gerrard stay focused on producing his best form for the team .

[Welsh Spur]

let gerrard stay focused on producing his best form for the team .
Which he does for Liverpool week in week out and oh, look, he's their captain.

[Chinaman]

It is different as he has two creative Spaniards with him in Liverpool, whereas with England he has to do everything himself.

[Welsh Spur]

Well then seeing as he's such a ****ing good player how about the manager uses this to our advantage and play to his strengths?!? Oops, I forgot, we've got Steve McLaren.

[JJ]

Indeed. Gerrard clearly has the ability to do it, he just needs to be given the correct role, which he wasn't, and probably still won't be.

Rooney will never be captain, passion isn't the only requirement i'm afraid.

[Welsh Spur]

If Rooney sorts out his temperament, and Gerrard becomes captain, Rooney has every chance of being a future England captain. Being as they are best friends I reckon Gerrard could well be the man to set Rooney straight. Imagine if Rooney has sense as a kid and supported Liverpool....he and Gerrard would be club-mates, no doubt, and probably tearing the Prem apart.

If every player put in the effort Rooney did, I have more than a suspicion that England would have gone further. If Rooney was actually accomodated for this summer and not just put on the pitch and expected to perform, then he would have revelled in it. Instead, he got frustrated and got sent off. Oh, and I still don't think he (intentionally) stamped on Carvalho.

[JJ]

Rooney would seriously have to improve his vocal skills if he is to become captain. You don't see him talking to anyone, or leading by example. Yes, the effort is there, but it's there with Owen Hargreaves too, and he's not exactly ever going to be captain... well i hope not anyway.

[Welsh Spur]

There's going to be two Euro tournaments and another WC before we even think about Rooney as captain anyway. Let's just stick to the current battle....

Gerrard v Terry.

[JJ]

There's going to be two Euro tournaments and another WC before we even think about Rooney as captain anyway. Let's just stick to the current battle....

Gerrard v Terry.

That would be a good fight to watch.

Messy.

[Chinaman]

If it's a fight, Terry will win in a 10 second knock-out in the 1st round.

[franie110]

Its got to be Terry

[JJ]

If it's a fight, Terry will win in a 10 second knock-out in the 1st round.

I wouldn't be too sure. Gerrard looks like he would be a filthy scrapper.

[MarlowSpurs]

I wouldn't be too sure. Gerrard looks like he would be a filthy scrapper.
Nah Gerrard would just nick the wheels of Terry's car and **** off