John Terry stripped of England captaincy
LONDON, England (AFP) — John Terry said yesterday he would continue to “give everything” for his country after being stripped of the England captaincy following allegations he had an affair with a former teammate’s ex-girlfriend.
In a brief statement after a meeting with England manager Fabio Capello, Terry, who is married and has two children, said: “I fully respect Fabio Capello’s decision.
“I will continue to give everything for England,” added the 29-year-old.
The woman at the centre of the allegations, Vanessa Perroncel, the French ex-girlfriend of England defender Wayne Bridge and mother of his three-year-old son, vowed she would not give her version of events to the media.
Perroncel, who appeared on Sky News television alongside publicist Max Clifford, shook her head and mouthed “oh my God” when she heard the news that Terry had been dropped as captain.
In a statement read by Clifford, Perroncel said: “In recent days I have been the centre of a great deal of press speculation and comment.
“The details of my friendship with John and his family have been the subject of intense and wholly unfair and untrue media speculation.
“As Max has already said, much of the material in the press is inaccurate.
“I now find myself subject to other unsubstantiated and false claims which have appeared in the papers over the past few days.
“This has only added to the pressure which my family and I have been under.”
The statement said the media “have sought to pore over my private life and that of my family, which is very upsetting.
“I have decided I do not want to speak publicly about the speculation since it only seems to add more fuel to the fire,” it added.
Perroncel, a lingerie model, said her son was her “main concern”.
“I do not believe speaking to newspapers or the media is in his interest or my own. I do not wish to add anything more to what I have said,” she added in the statement.
As the news of Capello’s decision on Terry was announced, Clifford said: “Vanessa would also like to add that she finds it very sad that John Terry has been dropped as England captain.”
Terry and Bridge were teammates at English Premier League giants Chelsea before Bridge was sold to Manchester City a year ago.
