Bridge decision brave and sensible, not a cop-out

In choosing to make himself unavailable for selection for the national team Wayne Bridge has received criticism from certain quarters, many of whom are probably the same sort who wouldn't have had him in their final twenty-three anyway. Turning your back on the Three Lions, in the eyes of a loud few, is an unforgivable offence, and by the sounds of it England's inevitable storming to the Quarter Finals and teary exit more important than someones moral standpoint, private life and happiness.

I don't think that being paid very handsomely and doing something most of us only dream about for a living should make Bridge super-human. No man would want to put themselves in the situation of being around the numpty who betrayed his trust in such a way day after day. Wayne has no more duty to put his pride and ethics to one side as a footballer than he would in any line of work.

Most of all, though, removing himself from the situation, even though he's done absolutely no wrong, is quite a selfless act, putting the morale of the squad before any chance he might have had of personal glory. Making himself unavailable, though he'd never admit it, and i expect is as disgusted by Terry's actions as anyone, does Fabio Capello a favour.

For the Italian, losing a backup left-back, all much of a muchness after Ashley Cole, and unlikely to figure unless the fellow philanderer suffers a relapse of his ankle problem, isn't such a great headache. It's another body missing, sure, and with Glen Johnson, Rio Ferdinand, and Cole all having injury-hit seasons we could do with as many fit and available as possible, but England's World Cup chances won't be altered for better or worse if it's Bridge, Warnock, Baines, or A N Other in that No.14 shirt.

The absence of our man, though, removes the risk of the whole affair causing further murmurs behind the scenes - no chance of a kick-off, or either player becoming ostracised from the group, or whispering games, or the whole drama generally overshadowing the fact that England's qualifying results, and the general decline in some top international sides, should mean we have some sort of chance of at least reaching the latter stages.

Not that the performance of our international side, or any side, should take priority, it most certainly shouldn't, but Fabio Capello was never going to stop considering Terry for selection completely, doing so would have been a huge risk, provided ammo for every journalist and fan come the tournament, and in the eyes of some would have probably been too harsh a punishment for a mistake that whilst unfitting of the country's captain, has come to be expected of those at the top level of his profession.

Whilst i'm sure most of us wouldn't blame anyone for wanting to throw a couple of fists in the direction of someone who had been sneaking around with one of their closest pals other halves behind their back, Wayne's conduct so far has been admirable. One short statement and not a peep since, just him knuckling down to his football. For that he should receive praise outside of those who follow our club. Any true football fan will want to see him getting back to what he does best.

Tomorrow at Stamford Bridge will be a huge test for him, tactically as well as emotionally. All the cameras will be on him and Terry, and everyone will have their say. I just hope the opposition fans appreciate both that Wayne served them very well, and that he's done no wrong in this tasteless escapade. It's one occasion that i'd encourage their most vocal supporters to drop their almost Millwall-like 'no-one likes us, we don't care' shtick. It won't happen, of course, your average Premier League-following loudmouth has to have their pantomime goodies and baddies.

Let's make no bones about it, Terry is a despicable cunt who has had more lives than a cat already. It perhaps sums up the win at all costs attitude of the modern football fan that he's still held in such high regard by those who watch him week in, week out. Were he here i honestly think i'd rather he be moved on, but then for me his prolonged holding of the club to ransom for a new deal would have been the final straw, ability wouldn't come into it.

From the point of view of the club, i don't think the retirement is necessarily a bad thing either, especially given the players we've lost through injuries sustained whilst on international duties in recent times, most notably Carlos Tevez, and the now-departed Robinho. Without the inconvenience of having to represent his country in meaningless friendlies, or sit on the bench for trips to Eastern Europe, he can give us his full attention.

Any criticism of Bridge at all, is, in my opinion, below the belt, especially journalists and those pundits who have never played the game, bleating on about how he's a 'bottler', or 'letting his country down'. They, and the papers publishing/fabricating words from 'sources' close to Terry should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. I wonder how they'd feel were a colleague up to no good with the mother of their kids. Some things are more important than football.