Wayne Bridge made himself unavailable for the World Cup because
of John Terry’s failure to apologise, leaving him convinced he
could not spend any time in close
proximity to the disgraced former England captain.
Bridge gave serious thought to walking away from international
football from the moment news broke of Terry’s affair with his
recently estranged partner, Vanessa Perroncel.
But when Terry showed no signs of remorse in the statement he
issued the day he was stripped of the England captaincy — and in
his conduct towards Bridge himself — the Manchester City full back
realised living in such close quarters to his one-time friend and
colleague for the duration of a tournament was going to be
impossible.
Right, I'm off: Bridge leaves Manchester City
training after dropping his bombshell
The pair did have the briefest of exchanges, abruptly ended by
Bridge when he realised the identity of the caller. That did not
stop Terry telling senior members of the England coaching staff
that he had made contact in a vain attempt to allay their concerns
and protect his position as England captain.
Bridge still agonised over the decision, his mind torn between
the sense of responsibility he feels towards his country and the
sheer horror of having to deal with Terry.
A shy man who has never felt comfortable with the celebrity
status many millionaire footballers enjoy, he also struggled with
the idea of being at the centre of so much media attention.
On Thursday, Fabio Capello tried to persuade Bridge to remain an
England footballer at a time when a serious injury to Ashley Cole,
and concerns over the fitness and form of Rio Ferdinand, Terry and
Glen Johnson, have left the Italian facing a serious defensive
crisis.
If Cole fails to recover in time for the World Cup, Capello
regards Everton’s Leighton
Baines or Aston Villa’s Stephen Warnock as the only serious options
at left back, although he may yet consider the versatile James
Milner as an option.
Bridge has been in regular contact with Capello’s assistant
Franco Baldini, the man
who liaises with the players on the England manager’s behalf.
Baldini did everything he could to assure Bridge that he still had
a future with England.
In a long conversation he told the player that the management
were extremely sympathetic to his situation and offered him their
full support.
‘No one can feel how Wayne feels at the moment,’ said a source
close to the Capello
camp. ‘He was told it would be silly to give up an opportunity to
play in the World Cup but obviously he has changed his mind a lot
in the last three or four weeks. He has been thinking about it
every day.
‘He just cannot carry on with the scandal, so he has decided to
give it up. He was told how much we care about him. He’s a really
nice guy. He was told how disappointed we are with this
decision.
‘But we wish him all the best, and he knows the door is always
open even though this is apparently his final decision. You know
how many left backs we have fit and available? Baines and Warnock —
that’s it.’
Unrepentant: Terry has refused to apologise to
Bridge
Last night Capello said he hoped Bridge would have a change of
heart. ‘I was flying
back from Milan when Wayne Bridge announced that he would not stay
with us for the
Egypt match next week and also in South Africa for the World Cup,’
he said.
‘It surprised me but I respect the decision of all the players.
But the door is always open for him. We have time. There are still
three months until I decide my final squad for South Africa. I hope
Wayne Bridge will be with us at the World Cup.’
In fairness to Bridge, a factor in his decision was putting the
welfare of the England squad ahead of any personal ambition.
He knew how much unwanted attention his inclusion would attract
and he could not be certain his presence alongside Terry would not
prove divisive.
So many questions: Capello has decisions to
make
In a statement issued through his lawyers yesterday, Bridge
said: ‘I have thought long and hard about my position in the
England team in the light of the reporting and events over the last
few weeks. It has always been an honour to play for England.
However, after careful thought I believe my position in the squad
is now untenable and potentially divisive.
‘Sadly, therefore, for the sake of the team and in order to
avoid what will be inevitable
distractions, I have decided not to put myself forward for
selection. I have today informed the management of this decision. I
wish the team all the very best in South Africa.’
Even this week, Bridge was left distinctly unimpressed by an
interview Terry gave to a
national newspaper. Again there was no remorse. Just the
self-obsessed nonsense of someone with no sense of
responsibility.
‘I want to the win the World Cup and the Champions League and
I’m not ashamed to say it,’ Terry declared.
‘I’m playing my heart out,’ he then went on, even if the
evidence at the San Siro on
Wednesday night would suggest otherwise. ‘I’m responding (to a
situation of his own making) by doing what I’ve always done; by
looking straight ahead. I’ve got broad
shoulders and nothing is going to knock me off my stride.’
As someone who knows Terry said after he emerged from that brief
encounter with Capello at Wembley: ‘Remorse? John thinks it’s a
detective John Thaw used to play on TV.’
PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said his union had tried to
resolve the situation.
‘The PFA offered to help and contacted both parties with a view
to acting as mediators,’ said Taylor. ‘But neither came back to us.
I am surprised and saddened that this matter could not be
resolved.’
Bridge still intends to line up against Terry when Manchester
City meet Chelsea at
Stamford Bridge on Saturday, a game Capello plans to attend.
But Bridge’s absence from next week’s friendly at Wembley adds
to the problems Capello must contend with a mere three-and-a-half
months before the World Cup begins.
England qualified in style but they have been seriously knocked
out of their stride by the injuries to Ferdinand, Cole and Johnson,
as well as the loss of form suffered by Terry recently amid
concerns about his fitness.
Ferdinand would have been named captain next week and Capello
still wants him to
report to the team hotel in Hertfordshire for the meeting the
manager intends to have
with his players.
After the recent scandals concerning Terry and Cole, Capello
will remind them of their responsibilities.
Yesterday Sir Alex Ferguson said he did not object to Ferdinand
travelling to Hertfordshire despite the need for treatment on his
chronic back condition.