What do you think ?

Personally, I think he's very fortunate just to be in the team.

.... but the question is, who else is worthy of the captaincy in Terry's absence.

I can't think of anyone. Owen is never fit, Ferdinand has no brain cells, Rooney - with his potty mouth - is a total non-starter.

It's all a bit sad really isn't it?!

I guess Stevie G, or "Gerrard" as Capello will refer to him, deserves the captaincy only by default.

Discuss.

Personally I would have given it to Beckham - fit or not.

But maybe that's why I was never offered the England job.

There are a lack of proper, old-school leaders out there in the current squad. There are no Tony Adams, no Bryan Robson, no Dave Mackays, no Roy Keanes, etc.

England haven't had a good captain since Tony Adams, in fact. Alan Shearer should never have been captain, for me.

Gerrard is as close as there is to a captain in this England squad, so I suppose it's the right call.

Whether Gerrard deserves a place in the England starting XI is another debate, for another time, mind you.

yet you listed him in your top 10 world footballers

Based on his performances for England - who would actually place him in the Top 10 footballers in the world? Compare Gerrard's England performances to, say, Kaka's for Brazil. There is a massive difference in class at International level between the two players.

Being 28 in May Gerrard will certainly be looking over his shoulder for his England place (at least he should be!)

After the next World Cup he'll be 30, that will surely be Gerrard's last opportunity at having a really great world cup?

Gerrard has to be given the freedom to go forward if he is to be the on field leader England want him to be. He was Englands top scorer at the last World Cup. Kaka has not been steller for Brazil either. Really now Kaka did not shine in the last World Cup. Gerrard has scored 16 goals in all competitions an has 7 assists in the League.

John Barnes was a fantastic player. One of the best of his generation.

... but should he have been awarded so mnay caps ? No.

Capiche ?

He has had the freedom to go forward in recent internationals with Barry playing alongside him and he was still not very inspirational or awe-inspiring.

As for being England's top goal scorer, he scored twice. It was nothing to write home about and nothing to be wetting your pants about. England were sh*t, as was Gerrard. The only player to come out of the WC with praise was Owen Hargreaves, and that was pretty much biggest he went into the competition with everybody already thinking he was sh*t. He had nothing to lose, and played a couple of good games.

Kaka scored 10 in 15 international matches in 2006/07 and 5 in 12 in 2005/06. When has Gerrard ever posted figures as impressive as that for England? Gerrard's scored 12 in 63 appearances. A goal every zzzzzzzzz I fell asleep trying to figure it out, remembering Gerrard's boring England performances.

This is not to say that Gerrard is not the Grea-*test*-('") Player Ever (Registered TM to 'Stevie G' incorporated) because he is. I would never say he wasn't, as I fear being struck down by lightning if I were to say it.

any idea how much I'd have to pay??? I'd like to watch

50 pence per ticket. I'm hoping to raise enough money for me to emigrate to Fochriw

Wow now theres some ambition, good luck with that. Careful the dogs carry flick knives over the hill.

Barnes always springs to mind when we raise this issue. Something about the England shirt just fails to bring out the best in some players. No argument from me that players like Gerrard and Rooney are far more productive in their club kit.

Still a team captain can be an effective leader without being the best player on the pitch. Some guys, like Keane for instance (I think I'm going to be sick now) have/had the ability to lead 10 other men to greater performances simply by being present. I wonder whether England have ANYONE with that inate ability.

Crouch has a better goal scoring record for England than Kaka does for Brazil. Stats don't say much.....Gerrard has been bounced around playing defferent roles. Lampard has been the one to have the free role. In the end Gerrard warrants his place in the team if you are picking on form which is what any decent International manager will do.

Crouch, Crouch, Crouch! F*ck off, for f*cking f*ck sake.

Gerrard has been brilliant today, composed, showed really good passes won every header and a great pass to SWP

Now thats the Gerrard I know

Kudos to Rooney, was magnificant, spent most of the time tracking back though! Barry, was great as the holding midfielder.

Impressive performance from the team, but needs alot of work they need to work on their understanding. Great to see Jenas scoring.