Fabio Capello was left with no choice but to sack John Terry

By

Published 22:52 07/02/10

• 

Follow on Twitter

Fabio Capello's decision to strip John Terry of the England captaincy has left me very disappointed, but sadly it became inevitable.

Capello’s mind would have been made up as soon as he stepped off the plane last week on his return to England and had a bank of cameramen following him from the moment he touched down at Heathrow.

From then on there were only two things that were going to happen - he would either ask Terry for his resignation or strip the Chelsea star of the armband.

Terry’s off-the-field antics had become such a distraction and generated so much interest that something had to be done.

And the fact Terry was sacked after a brief meeting lasting just a few minutes at Wembley on Friday has only underlined the perception of Capello as a disciplinarian.

I think it is a shame, as all that should really matter is whether England win the World Cup in the summer - not who is skipper.

Capello has now had to ask his vice-captain Rio Ferdinand to step up to the job.

But Rio has form himself, with that suspension for missing a drugs test, drink driving bans and frivolous appeals over his recent shenanigans with Craig Fagan.

Lots of the press at the weekend mentioned that Ferdinand is the first permanent black captain of England.

I know it might seem a little pedantic to some people, but he is actually mixed race, which is a big deal to the 800,000 mixed race Britons who live in the country.

There are others like Ashley Cole, Wes Brown, Aaron Lennon and David James, who are all mixed race persons doing a fine job in the game.

I think I was the first mixed race player to set a British transfer record a few years ago when I joined Liverpool for £8.5million in July 1995.

Lewis Hamilton, Dame Kelly Holmes and Daley Thompson have also been flag-bearers in sport for mixed race people in the past.

There are many mixed race people out there who are proud of their identity but don’t openly talk about it.

I don't think Ferdinand has dwelled on it before, but it is time to celebrate the achievements of mixed race people.

I, for one, am very proud that the new England captain is someone who looks like me.

Fancy winning £3,000 for FREE this month? Play Mirror Football Streak for your chance to win cash prizes! Start predicting now!