Barry a candidate for Terry's captaincy?

Tales of the last few days have cast serious doubts over the future of England leader John Terry. We don't need to go over the gory details again here, but Mr Capello is expected to make a decision, or at least encourage the player to do the gentlemanly thing and make one for him, and as the World Cup looms the national team could have done without another case of an overpaid Premier League numpty acting like a spanner. Gareth Barry might not be high on the lists of possible replacements in the minds of most, but he's certainly worthy of consideration.

I feel that any recent criticism of Barry's club form is unjust. He has been patchy of late, but these are reasons. Firstly, it's no secret that he requires surgery on a problem groin injury. That should rule him out for a couple of months, and will almost certainly come before England fly to South Africa, unless of course he thinks his place is under threat long-term and wishes to establish himself in Mancini's plans, though risking his fitness over the summer.

Since the new manager arrived, Barry has also been required to play a number of roles. His stints on the left flank are most unnatural to him, though he's plenty of experience there. He lacks pace, there's no doubt about that, he's not a natural in the last third, lacks the natural instinct of a more offensive player, and i've seen lorries turn quicker. That said, i rate him exceptionally highly, but he's often tasked with the work of more than one man, be it helping out his full-back, moving left, or being neither a holding nor box-to-box midfielder.

What's beyond doubt is that his form for England over the last eighteen months has been solid, his slip-up in Holland aside. At Wembley especially he always strikes me as looking tremendously cocksure, and on several occasions i believe i've seen him lift and be the driving force behind the side. Injuries permitting, i think he'll go to South Africa as one of seven 'definites' for a place in Capello's strongest starting eleven, alongside Ashley Cole, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Stevie Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney.

It makes sense then that if a new replacement captain is needed than it ought to come from one of those regulars, and whilst Rio Ferdinand is deputy skipper his form over the last year has been questionable, most Reds will admit as much, and the niggles are beginning to become more and more frequent.

Don't get me wrong, of those candidates i think Barry is nearer to the back of the queue, but if we're talking about replacing a morally corrupt captain with one whiter than white then he shits on the others from a great height. Ashley Cole is still arguing over his latest brush with the law, and although i personally think he's the best left-back in the world, any candidate should lead by example in terms being a role model as much as doing the business once over the white line.

Stevie Gerrard was last year somehow not charged with either assault or affray despite CCTV footage indicating he may've been throwing his weight about, a gang of pals behind him, of course. His injury record of late also leaves a lot to be desired, and seven games in a month will be a big ask. Frank Lampard, well, best i've got is he's a moany, boring fat c*nt with daft ears. I'd be no more encouraged to go into battle for him than for Fred Dinenage.

One player who should absolutely not be given the armband is Wayne Rooney, and that's nothing to do with club allegiances or the occasional bouts of petulance we've become accustomed to over the years. England's hopes lie at his feet, and solely at his feet. We're no one man team, but Rooney's performances combined with some sort of miracle are our only chance. We don't need to burden him with such responsibilities yet, really.

Fabio's got a decision to make whether he thinks Wayne Bridge will be in his final 23 or not (i'd probably prefer Stephen Warnock at the present time). He's known as a strict disciplinarian and so risks being seen as a hypocrite for fining players for small indiscretions and turning a blind eye to ones as huge as this. The redtops would then inevitably jump on such a move as another victory for the players, whose power battles with the FA and previous managers have been well documented.

The simple fact is that John Terry, on the pitch and around it, is a bloody good captain, and if England have any chance whatsoever of winning the World Cup then he'll have to play some part. For me, even at the risk of harming our chances, the decision has to be made, you really can't go round boshing your best pals other halves and marching around the camp like King Dick after being caught.

Gareth Barry hasn't won a major honour as a professional footballer. Above all else that probably rules him out as a contender. Whether he's a really inspirational figure, as captains should also be, is also doubtable. Truth is Terry aside there are no real stand-out alternatives. They all have some sort of shadow hanging over them, either in terms of misbehaviour, injuries, inexperience. If Fabio's looking for a player who'll never drag the Three Lions over onto the front pages, however, than Barry is head and shoulders above anyone else.