Wayne Bridge retires from international football

[mayorquimby]

says he feels his position in the squad is untenable and divisive.
football365.com/story/0,17033,8682_5979809,00.html

No you've got it all, it just appears you would react differently to most. A lot of people would have a problem being around their supposed best-mate who socialised with them,their partner and kid with their own family on a regular basis you would not. Bridge is remaining professional (or at least i assume he will this saturday) but has decided that he can't spend the guts of 6 weeks seeing terry every day,staying in the same hotel,training together and attending team social events. Especailly when Terry is in a pivotal and important position in the team. He has decided that it is best for the team as a whole if he is not selected (although capello can still call him up) as he feels his presence would cause more trouble and hamper the teams chances.
You would obviously not have a problem with this, i'm not saying either is right or wrong it's clear that you would simply react differently. I and many others can understand why bridge has reacted as he has.
So no you're not missing anything.

This was his statement today
"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.

"It has always been an honour to play for England. However, after careful thought I believe my position in the squad is now untenable and potentially divisive.

"Sadly therefore I feel for the sake of the team and in order to avoid what will be inevitable distractions, I have decided not to put myself forward for selection.

"I have today informed the management of this decision. I wish the team all the very best in South Africa."

Maybe it isnt just about his ex-girlfriend.

Maybe he has no respect for John Terry anymore. I have to say that I don't. I think the way he has behaved throughout his entire marriage is despicable. Allegations of multiple affairs / paying for an abortion / gambling in the millions have followed Terry for years.

John Terry was England Captain and although he is no longer in that position he is a big part of the team.

I guess that Bridge feels he can no longer respect John Terry or play on a team with him. Playing at that level as part of a team does mean that people have to respect each other and gel as part of the team.

I don't think Bridge's stance has just been about "he shagged my ex girlfriend" I think it goes deeper than that.

And I have to say I respect Bridge for that. Yes he could have played for England and raked in the cash for that, and the accompanying endorsments but he hasn't. He has said, "I am not doing it" and for that he has my utmost respect.

I know very little about Bridge, but I respect him for this , he is the only peson to come out of this fiasco with anny dignity.

He knew what JT was like, he was happy for him to take women back to his (WB's) house!

He probably feels like a right twat because he is, knowing that he condoned the cheating, and was quite happy to aid in it, until it was his ex JT was sneaking around with.

mw - I would love to know your source for this info. Concrete evidence or paper talk?

I agree with everything mayorquimby has said on this thread. Following Ashley Cole's injury it was highly likely that Bridge would be going to SA. He has obviously had a long and hard think about this and realised that it would make things extremely difficult for the England team if he was there. I absolutely understand why he would feel it difficult to be in the same team as Terry. It must have been a very difficult decision for him - surely it is the dream of every young footballer to play for his country in the World Cup?

I am SO over the JT/VP/WB thing

The pressing concern for me re England's World Cup campaign is Wayne Rooney staying fit and well and unbroken

rindercella,he's not so young!

Rooney is on fire at the moment...please let it last til June

3BBs, I know!

19 goals in 19 matches!!!

Only Cristiano Ronaldo is anywhere near him this season

I am such a prophet of doom, I have this nasty feeling he's going to blow another metatarsal

If Rooney's not there, we're definitely fcked. Tis as simple as that. Tbh, we're probably fcked anyway, but with an on-form Rooney there is always hope.

Agree

I think it's going to be a bit messy though (the team performance)

Don't really see how they can play as a harmonious unit

There's been too much going on, too much speculation and distraction

I do think Bridge was wrong to allow Terry to use his house to hook up with other women (allegedly). And I'm sure he regrets that bitterly now. Otherwise, he does seem to be handling the thing with as much dignity as could be managed. It's difficult to know exactly what the situation is, but some reports I'd read suggest that he was hoping for a reconciliation, which again must have made him feel twice as bad when he found out that while he'd had that in mind, his ex had already taken up with Terry (and had got pregnant very quickly so clearly the relationship had developed at speed). The implication is either that one relationship began almost immediately the other ended, or even that there was some overlap. Given also that they have a child together, I can quite see why he would still be strongly affected by the whole thing with Terry, his supposed friend.

Lenin - glad you have managed to be amicable in the split with your ex. But I do think you have to accept that you're relatively unusual in this and that, sadly, for most people there is upset, resentment and real pain for some time after a break up and in relation to their ex moving on, especially for people who hope the relationship can be saved.

As for Terry, I haven't read anything about him that makes me think he is in any way a likeable person worthy of respect. What Toni Terry sees in him I can't understand, other than him being her kids' father.

It's a 'culturally' sophisticated moment for a lot of them.

• Just like this

I agree with LeninGrad.
Storm in a teacup

Terry is vile.

He has a planet sized ego and thinks it's his god-given right to do just whatever he pleases. Everyone lets him off - his employers, his doormat of a wife - maybe Wayne Bridge saw this as a way to ramp up the pressure on Terry a bit after e got off the hook with such consumate ease, and who can blame him?

I'd like to see life made as unpleasant as possible for that guttersnipe. I hopehe gets booed from here to kingdon come everywhere he goes.

And I hope that his wife can wise up and grow a backbone sometime too and realise that she is worth more than being serially treated like shit and publically humilated by a misogynist bully.

Well said Genevieve!

Pleased to see that all the panel on TWS this morning took Wayne Bridges side, quite right.

been friend sfor long enough anyway from their time at chelsea etc and were close friends.
everyone knew terry was having affiars so presume that WB did as well and there are additional rumours that he let JT use his house for some extra-marital fun but have no idea how substantive these rumours are.