IT'S EASY TO take a disliking to John Terry, unless, of course, you happen to support Chelsea. Adrian Durham, the talkSPORT – or talkS**T in his case - presenter last week described him as "a very limited footballer." If "very limited" means inspiring your side to three Premier League titles and being voted into the FIFPro World XI for four consecutive seasons, I suppose he's right.
However, the criticism Terry has come in for following England's disastrous campaign has been extremely harsh, not to mention unjustified. When pundits and 'experts' alike call for England's underachieving squad to be axed in order for the stars of the future to be given a chance, Terry's is more often than not the first name in the firing line, why?
True, the former captain didn't help himself with the now infamous press conference in which - in the eyes of some people at least - he publicly undermined the manager with a rallying call that went horribly wrong. Surely, though, he should at least be given some credit for showing the hunger and passion that was clearly lacking in some of his team-mates. He may polarise opinion, but Terry's commitment to the cause should never be called into question.
In terms of his performances, in the three group stage games Terry barely put a foot wrong. Yes, he struggled against a technically superior Germany, but who didn't? In the space of a few months, he has gone from playing alongside Rio Ferdinand, to Ledley King, to Jamie Carragher, and finally Matthew Upson, hardly ideal, is it?
In fact, Terry's admirers – and he has a few – might say that he is actually the only defender England can rely on.
However, the criticism Terry has come in for following England's disastrous campaign has been extremely harsh, not to mention unjustified. When pundits and 'experts' alike call for England's underachieving squad to be axed in order for the stars of the future to be given a chance, Terry's is more often than not the first name in the firing line, why?
True, the former captain didn't help himself with the now infamous press conference in which - in the eyes of some people at least - he publicly undermined the manager with a rallying call that went horribly wrong. Surely, though, he should at least be given some credit for showing the hunger and passion that was clearly lacking in some of his team-mates. He may polarise opinion, but Terry's commitment to the cause should never be called into question.
In terms of his performances, in the three group stage games Terry barely put a foot wrong. Yes, he struggled against a technically superior Germany, but who didn't? In the space of a few months, he has gone from playing alongside Rio Ferdinand, to Ledley King, to Jamie Carragher, and finally Matthew Upson, hardly ideal, is it?
In fact, Terry's admirers – and he has a few – might say that he is actually the only defender England can rely on.
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