well, with most football eyes on Anfield, watching Manchester United join Liverpool in marking the senseless death of 96 fans and the long overdue removal of the shocking cover up, it was inevitable that everyone's favourite (text removed on legal advice), opportunistic celebrator, (text removed on legal advice) and distinctly average footballer would seek to get the headlines.
this he did by, to the joy of everyone who would like to see an actual, proper defender play for England, announcing his retirement from international football.
his announcement, though, did not come without the usual curious interpretation of events that one associates with him. as ever, his words were more idiotic than they were idiosyncratic.
in his statement, which one really hopes that he went as far to put his shinpads on to make, Terry said the following :
I am making this statement today in advance of the hearing of the FA disciplinary charge because I feel The FA, in pursuing charges against me where I have already been cleared in a court of law, have made my position with the national team untenable.
really? cleared?
the actual judgement handed down, here presented with thanks to the reporting from The Guardian newspaper, does not really scream "cleared". i have highlighted a couple of the aspects of the judgement for you, and indeed Terry, to note :
"It is a crucial fact," Riddle then noted, "that nobody has given evidence that they heard what Mr Terry said or more importantly how he said it." That lack of direct witnesses was vital.
So the case, Riddle concluded, was worthy of the forensic sobriety of an English courtroom, to look in the cold light of day into what was said, so shockingly and disappointingly, in the heat of a few seconds during a football match. The prosecution case was strong and Terry's explanation was unlikely. Riddle did, though, say he "assessed John Terry as a credible witness".
Ultimately there was not sufficient proof, Riddle judged, to decide by the standard to which all British citizens are entitled, beyond reasonable doubt, that Terry said "[no need to have those words here]" as an insult. "In those circumstances, there being a doubt, the only verdict the court can record is one of not guilty."
finding one not guilty by default is not exactly being "cleared", is it?
one does have to admire Terry's self-belief at times. for some reason he has got it into his head that he is universally adored when clearly it's the case that he does not command a single calorie of respect from anyone outside of the Chelsea support base or certain peers at other clubs. to that end, looking at a glass half full, i suppose non-Chelsea based England fans can enjoy watching an actual, proper and in-form defender being selected once again.
as was mentioned at the time, it takes a special kind of dickhead to be stripped of the England captaincy twice. as Terry is, to my knowledge, the only individual ever to have achieved that distinction, perhaps he is full worthy of some of the praise he believes.
be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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