JOHN TERRY is on the verge of quitting as England captain.



John Terry spent the weekend considering his future after lurid details of his affair with Wayne Bridge’s ex-girlfriend came to light.

The Chelsea defender will speak with England coach Fabio Capello and FA officials today to discover their thoughts on the latest off-field problem to engulf him.

However, Starsport understands he is close to giving up the job he treasures most in an effort to save squad morale ahead of the World Cup this summer. And that resignation could even come as early as today, as the pressure for him to be sacked continues to grow.

Terry values being captain of his country more than anything else, but he recognises that his actions could have potentially damaged the unity within the national squad.

Capello had been keen to wait to discover the depth of resentment within the rest of the England set-up before making a decision.

However, there is a growing feeling that the Italian cannot allow the topic to dominate headlines for the five weeks leading up to England’s next match against Egypt in March.

The England coach alone is the one with the power to sack his captain, but Terry is aware he could save Capello such a tough decision by falling on his sword.

While his Chelsea team-mates showed their support for Terry after he scored the winner against Burnley on Saturday, there are players at other clubs who do not share the same feeling.

It is understood others in the England squad have contacted former Blues left-back Bridge to offer their support and voice disgust at Terry’s behaviour.

Manchester City players yesterday made their feelings known, with several sporting ‘Team Bridge’ T-shirts under their kits in yesterday’s match against Portsmouth.

And stars at other Premier League club’s have admitted they have lost all respect for a player who had once been viewed as a natural leader of men. Losing the support of fans is one thing, but it is the loss of respect among his peers that worries both Terry and Capello most.

City star Bridge has already made it clear that as long as Terry remains in the England set-up, he doesn’t want to be considered, even with a World Cup looming.

Capello wants a united squad when he travels to South Africa, but it is still a tough call for him to make, which is why Terry is close to saving him the hassle by informing the FA that he can no longer remain in the role.

but how care about Englands hopes in the world cup....