Football Diary
by Patrick O'Connor
THE result is the only thing that matters is a mantra often quoted in the world of football. It was obviously the rallying call for Premier League leaders Chelsea in their 2-1 win at Burnley on Saturday.
The winning goal was headed in by the England captain John Terry, the subject of much lurid press attention in the few days leading up to the game.
Terry, who is married with twins, is alleged to have had an affair with the partner of his former Chelsea and current England team-mate Wayne Bridge who is now with Manchester City. But that didn't seem to bother the Chelsea players as they rushed to congratulate Terry on his goal. Terry. to his credit. kept his own celebrations low key but one wonders if footballers would forgive a team-mate anything if he was instrumental in clinching them three points.
After the game the Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti insisted that Terry will remain as club captain despite the newspaper revelations about his private life.
"I don't know why you ask me this. The players will never lose their trust in him," said Ancelotti. "I am a manager and only want to speak about his work. He is a fantastic professional."
So that's all right then, the fact that he slept with one the team's girlfriends is neither here nor there.
More dross was spouted from the mouth of TV pundit Alan Shearer on BBC's Match of the Day on Saturday night.
"Terry is a great leader," gushed Shearer. With leaders like that who needs enemies? Many in the media are calling for Terry to be sacked as England captain but looking at his track record, one wonders how he ever got the job in the first place. Just look at his roll-call of misbehaviour:
* Among drunken Chelsea players who taunted American tourists at Heathrow Airport in the wake of the 9/11 attacks
* Urinated in a pint glass in an Essex nightclub
* Denies allegations that he accepted cash to conduct behind-the-scenes tours of Chelsea's training ground
The Chelsea players so quick to hug their skipper on Saturday have obviously chosen to ignore the report that Bridge is now considering retiring from international football as he is so distraught after finding out about Terry's fling with the mother of his three-year-old son. In a statement issued by his lawyer, the left-back said: "I have read the press reporting in the last two days. The reports deal with matters which are of a deeply personal and private nature. "My primary concern is the welfare of my son. Therefore, I intend to make no comment whatsoever either now or in the future about these reports and ask that my privacy is respected."
But the media feeding frenzy over this story is bound to continue and already football fans are having their say.
Burnley supporters were the first to have a go with the chant 'Same old Terry - always cheating.'
You have to laugh, don't you?.
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