John Terry must be the cornerstone of England’s World Cup 2010 challenge. In light of recent scandals, it cannot be as captain…

Bad boy captains don’t sit well with sporting authorities. Just ask Shane Warne. Aside from being arguably the most skilful bowler in the history of cricket, Warne was blessed with a quite brilliant cricketing brain. Perfect captaincy material…until he stepped off the park. A string of off-the-field indiscretions made Cricket Australia reticent to have Warne in a position of authority.

The England football captaincy is viewed with similar magnitude to leading the baggy greens. It requires a character who is whiter than the white kits with three lions on the chest. When Fabio Capello took over, JT seemed a wholly reasonable choice to lead his side into a World Cup campaign. Inspirational leader, world class centre back, committed husband and even named Father of the Year. How that has changed now.

Terry was already on the ropes after the News of the World broke a story about his unofficial £10,000 stadium tour. Now his alleged affair – with, of all people, the fiancée of an England teammate – surely makes his captaincy position untenable. For the FA to continue with Terry would be tant amount to an endorsement of his alleged antics.

You can argue whether personal affairs (literally!) should affect team matters, but in this case they certainly do.

Assuming he goes, who will fill the embarrassing void?

Rio’s injury problems call his claims into question. Lampard leads by example on the pitch and is seen as a model professional. However, in light of his acrimonious split from Elen Rives, his appointment would surely be butchered by the press. That leaves Steven Gerrard to finally prove that he can inspire his England teammates the way he has for Liverpool for the past decade.

Harsh words indeed. But after his actions this weekend, his previous comments and previous actions, there is no other conclusion to be made. Read on to find out why…

Gerrard pulled off an outrageous (ly bad) dive against Blackburn on Saturday, in a desperate attempt to haul his flailing Liverpool side away from the mediocre parity they were sharing at Ewood Park. Here is it in all its ‘glory’:

Now as the Republik of Mankunia have kindly pointed out with their quotations, Gerrard’s actions are in direct conflict with his previous stance and soundbites. But, I hear you cry, one dive doesn’t make a scumbag! Everyone goes down easily occasionally, perhaps in anticipation of being fouled? Perhaps a genuine slip?

Not Stevie G. To wit:

Now tell me it’s an accident. Clear, solid evidence of repeated Gerrard cheating in several crucial situations. We like to hide it, we like to deny that our lionhearts could ever bend the rules (I don’t think I’ve ever heard Owen’s dive against Argentina called anything but ‘clever’) but England has its cheats just like any other country. And it appears one of the worse is Liverpool’s own Super Stevie G.

But what’s worse, is we (he) pretend to be honest, pretend we disapprove of the dive, castigate the flaunting of the Corinthian spirit and ostensibly abhor the dirty foreign cheats. Yet, when it comes down to it, we (he) won’t hesitate to cheat.

Super Stevie G, hang your head in shame. But, in the last minute of the World Cup semi-final when our game against Brazil is heading to penalties, I beg you, please don’t hesitate to take a tumble.

I’m sure you, the reader (well the English amongst you) wouldn’t complain then.

We’re all hypocrites really.

England take on Slovakia in a friendly on Saturday (17.00, Setanta Sports 1) then the Ukraine in a World Cup Qualifier on Wednesday (20.00, ITV1).

Here is the England squad in full (since the withdrawal of Ledley King):

Goalkeepers: David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham United), Ben Foster (Manchester United)
Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Joleon Lescott (Everton), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth), Matthew Upson (West Ham United), Ledley King (Tottenham Hotspur).
Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), David Beckham (AC Milan), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool).
Forwards: Carlton Cole (West Ham United), Peter Crouch (Portsmouth), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

Our weakness is our strikeforce. Carlton Cole? Really? Heskey is an able foil, Crouch an impact sub… and Rooney is yet to find his best position or arguably form for his country. That is a severe paucity of options. Where are the world class English forwards? They are not abroad; are they being overlooked in the Premiership? Let’s have a look at the top scoring Englishmen…

Steven Gerrard 13

Peter Crouch 11

Kevin Davies 11

Gabriel Agbonlahor 10

Darren Bent 10

Frank Lampard 10

Carlton Cole 9

Jermain Defoe 9

Wayne Rooney 9

Michael Owen 8

Matthew Taylor 8

Andrew Johnson 7

Jason Roberts 7

Marlon King 6

James Beattie 5

Of these, those not included are Davies, Agbonlahor, Bent, Defoe, Owen, Taylor, Johnson, Roberts, King and Beattie. Let’s have a look at them…

Kevin Davies - What does he offer that Emile Heskey doesn’t? Well, goals, for a start. Heskey is arguably a better link man, better at providing and laying on chances – but Davies is good at holding the ball up, a real pain in the arse for defenders, and is scoring goals. He suffers from playing for Bolton; perhaps he would get more of a chance at a more fashionable club?

Gabriel Agbonlahor – He was included for the last game against Spain, as well as several other of Capello’s squads. However, he is on a long barren streak at the moment, and probably deserves his demotion to the U21s.

Darren Bent – Going by Capello’s maxim (which he seems to have abandoned in the case of Ben Foster) players will not play for England without playing regularly for their club. And as Bent is far from first choice at Spurs, he will suffer. His total of 10 goals is impressive for a bit part player, but his all round game is just not good enough for international football.

Jermaine Defoe – Injured – but assured of a role if fit. Who would have envisaged a time when Defoe was so sorely missed?

Michael Owen – Capello clearly doesn’t fancy him – and he’s not fully fit. And he’s lost most of his pace. But for my money he is still the best finisher England have, and should be in the squad. If he’s fit, who else would you rather throw on with twenty minutes remaining and needing to nick a goal?

Matthew Taylor – He is a midfielder. Which says a lot for the English strikers.

Andrew Johnson – There is perhaps a case here, but 7 goals in 26 appearances is hardly setting the world on fire. He is essentially a poor man’s Defoe (or Owen) and is different to our other strikers – just not good enough!

Jason Roberts, Marlon King, James Beattie - They are simply not international class. All big, bustling strikers they are already behind the likes of Davies and Cole who themselves are short of international class.

So there we are – we just don’t have any good strikers. It’s not Capello’s fault – aside from possibly Owen, and only when he’s fit, it’s difficult to make a case for anyone who’s been excluded.

At the back we look extremely strong – if a player with the quality of Jonathan Woodgate does not make it you know you have strength in depth. Likewise in midfield, where although the perennial Gerrard/Lampard debate is yet to be resolved they are both indisputably great players, and are ably supported/backed up by Barry and Carrick in the middle. Wide you have a multitude of options right, with SWP, Lennon, Walcott, Beckham, and Gerrard – one of whom may play left.

But Capello must have a big headache up top. It’s likely he will play Gerrard off Rooney, which is potentially exciting – but other than that combination (and that will obviously remove Gerrard’s dynamism from the midfield) there is little to whet the appetite. Heskey and Cole? No thanks.

Oh how we long for the days of Shearer, Sheringham, Owen, Fowler, Ferdinand, Wright, Collymore, Le Tissier, Cole – at one stage they were all available for England selection. That seems incomprehensible now; with that embarrassment of riches Carlton Cole would be seeking a second nationality.

Fortunately the likes of Slovakia and the Ukraine should not expose our lack of stirking options – but we need to find a potent pairing in time for WC 2010.

I liked this the first time I watched it. Less the second time. Now I think its rubbish. A good idea, badly executed. And obviously fake.