The continuing back problem that has plagued John Terry in the last couple of months has again flared up just a week after doing the same against CFR Cluj last week in Romania, where Terry was forced to play the last 15 minutes in the midfield after Big Phil had used all three Chelsea subs.

And after sitting out Thursday’s training session, Terry’s likelihood of making the starting 11 against Kazakhstan is decreasing by the hours, with the real question now becoming who will slide into the spot next to Rio Ferdinand.

If you had the chance to be Fabio Capello, would you choose Wes Brown, Matthew Upson or Joleon Lescott?

Next up for England after this match will be away to Belarus on Wednesday.

With referee Mark Halsey pulling out the straight red card after Chelsea Captain John Terry pulled down Manchester City’s Jo near the end of Chelsea’s 3 - 1 win at City, Terry WAS set to miss this weekend’s Manchester United at Chelsea showdown, the Carling Cup match against Portsmouth and the match at Stoke on the 27th because the red card was labeled “Serious Foul Play”, which means in a three match ban.

After taking another look at the video after the match, head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and the Chelsea honchos appealed to the FA Regulatory Commission who agreed today, dropping the mandatory ban.

When things like this happen, I have always wondered what happens to the referees who make the wrong decision.  Are they banned, suspended, docked pay, forced to do a couple of Championship matches before getting called back up?

I personally feel that they should be held accountable in the same way and forum that the players are held accountable.  Just sayin….

image via lh3

The wait is over as England head coach Fabio Capello has officially named Chelsea’s John Terry as his and England’s permanent Captain ahead of their Friendly against the Czech Republic at Wembley.

Terry (who led England out against the United States earlier this year), originally named Captain by then dodgy manager Steve McClaren after the Los Angeles Galaxy’s David Beckham handed back the armband following the conclusion of the 2006 World Cup, retains his role following the Captain auditions of Steven Gerrard versus Switzerland, Rio Ferdinand versus France and David Beckham versus Trinidad and Tobago.

While many thought that Rio Ferdinand would be Terry’s main competition for the most honored role in English Football, Fabio Capello did name Ferdinand his Vice - Captain.

“It means the world to me to retain the armband, especially with the players we have in the squad who have achieved so much in the last couple of years,” he said on Sky Sports News.

“To get the armband back is a huge achievement for me and makes me very proud once again.

“The manager called everyone together and told the squad as a whole.

“I was a little bit shocked. Rio has been in awesome form for Manchester United so for me to get the armband ahead of everyone in the squad is a massive achievement.

My buddy John sent me this image today. Pretty funny…unless you are John Terry or a Chelsea fan.

Fabio Capello confirmed today that he has handed the Captains armband to Chelsea’s John Terry for Wednesday’s match against the United States at Wembley.

Terry follows Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand who had led the team out in previous matches under Capello.

Capello has yet to name a Captain for the match against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday.

image via DailyMail 

It took only two days for Didier Drogba to declare that he and John Terry would be fit for the Champions League Final in Moscow next Wednesday.

Drogba’s knee injury during the latter stages of Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Bolton was a cause for concern while Terry had to leave the match with a dislocated elbow, but was seen on the pitch afterwards with his left arm in a sling.

Did anyone really think that either one of these players were going to miss the second biggest match in football?