1. His Experience Could Balance The Youthful Attack
Roy Hodgson has been fortunate to be England manager at a time when plenty of exciting youth has emerged across the country. Everton's Ross Barkley has drawn comparisons to Paul Gascoigne, while at Liverpool, Daniel Sturridge has been prolific in the last 12 months. Add the likes of Adam Lallana and Jack Wilshere to that, and you have an attack full of youthful vigour. What better way to anchor that than with John Terry? He has been in the England set-up through all the false dawns, and the implosion of the Eriksson and Capello years. He knows what it is like to carry the weight of the nation on his shoulders, and he, along with Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, possess invaluable experience - enough to keep the younger ones grounded. Even with Terry wasn't worthy of a starting place, which he is, his guiding voice in the dressing-room would surely pass on words of wisdom to the likes of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling. On the other hand, allies of the Ferdinands may not take too kindly to someone once banned for on-field racist remarks being their mentor. It is a conundrum that some may say has already been solved by Terry's retirement, but the temptation must still be there, for on the pitch, England's defence needs a Terry-like figure.
I am from Bangor, aged 24, and possess an MA in Journalism from The University Of Ulster. I have had work published in the Belfast Telegraph and interviewed several local footballers and Olympic athletes. I also run my own sports blog, 'Sporting Thought' in addition to contributing to What Culture.
