Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge has turned his back on England after deciding the fall-out from John Terry’s alleged affair with his former girlfriend has made his position in the team untenable.
Bridge released a statement through his lawyers on Thursday confirming that he did not wish to be selected for Fabio Capello’s squad for this year’s World Cup in South Africa because his presence would be potentially “divisive.”
The former Chelsea leftback has been considering his international future since reports of Terry’s affair with his former partner, Vanessa Perroncel, a French underwear model with whom he has a four-year-old child, first came to light.
PHOTO: AFP
Terry was stripped of the England captaincy by Capello as a result of the scandal and the Italian had thought Bridge would continue to play for his country.
With first choice leftback Ashley Cole out with an injury, Bridge would have lined up alongside Terry in the England defense in Wednesday’s friendly against Egypt at Wembley, but the 29-year-old, who is due to face Terry for the first time in City’s clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge today, feels that is an impossible situation for him to contemplate.
“I have thought long and hard about my position in the England football team in the light of the reporting and events over the last few weeks,” Bridge said in his statement. “It has always been an honor to play for England, however, after careful thought, I believe my position in the squad is now untenable and potentially divisive.”
Although Bridge has not formally announced his retirement from international soccer, it seems that he would not consider coming out of his self-imposed exile unless Terry was no longer involved in England action.
Perroncel, who is represented by publicist Max Clifford, revealed she was shocked by Bridge’s decision.
“Vanessa is very upset at what Wayne has said today and that he has made this decision,” Clifford said. “She believes it’s the wrong decision.”
With Cole sidelined for three months because of an ankle injury, Bridge’s decision leaves Capello without both his first-choice leftbacks and he will now turn to Aston Villa’s Stephen Warnock or Manchester City’s Joleon Lescott.
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