JT is a great player, a world class defender and a colossus at the back but also a monumental prat for his off-field antics. But should this really have lead to him losing his job?

Fabio, the great disciplinarian that he is, has made an example of Terry and sent out a clear message to the rest of the would-be World Cup winners that any misdemeanours will be given little time or understanding, 12 minutes in fact.

Now I don’t blame Fabio for sacking JT, after all he is the England manager and Terry has made an error of judgement but in terms of replacing him, with Rio. Really?

When I look at the certainties for a starting place come June, it is hard to find a player that is completely free of any controversy.

With no definite ‘keeper, right back, right midfield, or strike partner for Rooney, it leaves six players other than Terry that are certain of a start.

First up is Rio, who apart from the missing nearly a year of football for not turning up to a drugs test, is currently serving another ban for smashing someone in the face with his forearm. A good role model I think not.

The next possible option is Stevie G, now putting aside my personal hatred for the bloke, built up over a number of seasons and Champions League meetings with the Scousers, he too is not really someone to look up to.

Let’s not forget that he was in court for assault last year after CCTV evidence showed him thumping somebody in a bar. He got off but you can’t help feeling this was more to do with his high profile than anything else. And what would post-match press conferences be like, a continual drone of “ermmm at the end of the day ermmm.” Give me strength.

Moving down the list we come to Wayne Rooney, the form player at the moment who apart from the ‘Grannygate’ incident a few years ago is always in danger of getting sent off with his inability to accept referee decisions or go five minutes without hurling expletives at the man in the middle.

Oh and if he does stay on the pitch long enough there’s always the chance he’ll stamp on someone’s valuables in frustration. Just the sort of player we need as captain.

That leaves Ashley Cole who is the best left back in the world but also one of the dumbest, who cheats on Cheryl? Not even a blind man does. On top of that Ashley was caught do some digits over 100 in his Lambo down the A3, apparently escaping the paparazzi. Those two brain cells must have collided again for poor Ashley.

I hear you cry Frank Lampard’s name from your computers but is this really a wise idea. He doesn’t play as well when he is Chelsea captain and isn’t without media attention as he left his wife and kids last year. Coupled with the fact most non-Chelsea England fans hated him not that long ago, Fabio would be wise not to choose Frank.

And the sixth player? I don’t blame you for forgetting him; yes that’s right Gareth Barry. Only in the team because Owen Hargreaves’ knees are dodgier than Harry Redknapp’s accounts and with about as much influence in the dressing room as Alex Reid has in his relationship.

So, what of the rest of the so called role models in the England set up? Well there’s Micah Richards who was caught in some sort of sexual position not that long ago and Glen Johnson who may or may not have stolen a toilet seat.

Then we’ve got Peter Crouch who is more famous for the robot than any on pitch abilities and Emile Heskey who looks more clueless than me up front. Theo barely looks old enough to be out after half nine and David Beckham, whilst quality is in danger of needing a Zimmer frame to make it through 90 minutes.

So what Fabio is looking at is a bunch of criminal/comical players that are going to win us the World Cup. It looks like Joey Barton and Lee Hughes could get a call up to complete the criminal activities list and create a bit more of a media furore.

I think what we need to learn from this is that on the whole footballers aren’t very good role models for kids. With sickening amounts of money and too much time on their hands we need to stop expecting them to be more than they are.

And the solution to Fabio’s captain crisis? Well for what it’s worth I’d have taken the captaincy off JT but not announced a replacement yet. Because if we’re all honest we don’t really need an England captain yet.

Then at the end of the season with the international friendlies coming up I’d have tried out a few different captains before settling on Terry as captain, barring any further cock-ups (literally) JT’s end.

Terry will have served his punishment at the hands of unforgiving and vociferous away fans and because the best chance we have of winning the World Cup is with John at the helm.

Because ladies and gentlemen, JT is the best captain, he’s a leader of men and wears his heart on his sleeve. Yes he’s made a mistake but the rest of the England team are hardly without record.

And just for the record Wayne Bridge, as much as I love him for his goal against Arsenal, shouldn’t be anywhere near the plane to South Africa. Stephen Warnock is a much better left back.

But this would be too easy and straightforward for the FA and England and nothing is ever straightforward.

But nevermind because this will be long forgotten in a few months time when Wayne Rooney breaks his foot, Stevie G pulls his hamstring and Rio’s caught snorting cocaine. The media circus will probably mean we’ll be waiting another four years for the Holy Grail.

But just a few months on and Cole’s future at the club he supported as a boy has been thrown into doubt and this is of some concern to the fans that see him as a creative influence, a player that can create something out of nothing.

There are rumours about Cole making a summer move to big spenders Manchester City when his £80,000 a week contract expires in June, in fact he can already sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club which will force the Blues’ hierarchy into a swift decision.

Cole wants a pay rise to £130,000 bringing his wage into the region of other high earners such as Michael Ballack, Nicolas Anelka and Michael Essien but the Blues are only offering £100,000.

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck has come out this week and stated that his future will be sorted this week after Cole once again demonstrated his skills in the 7-2 demolition of Sunderland.

He added: “I am personally a big fan of Joe Cole and we are in discussions with his agent and hopefully that will be sorted out soon.”

But with the funds to match Cole’s wage demands and a rumoured £5 million signing on fee, the Eastlands club are keen to add another star to their attacking options but the question is what would Cole really gain from a move to City?

When you look back to the start of Abramovich’s revolution Chelsea began signing young players for huge fees and these talented stars such as Shaun Wright Phillips and Glen Johnson were largely bench warmers.

Whilst Cole is a far more established star there are question marks as to whether he would have any more success at City than at a Chelsea team that is sat at the top of the league and fighting to win the FA Cup and Champions League.

And would he really play any bigger role at City than he does at the Bridge with the City forward line already comprising Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy, Martin Petrov, Robinho, Roque Santa Cruz., Benjani and ironically Wright-Phillips before any further activity in January.

Spurs and City’s arch-rivals Manchester United have also been muted as possible summer destinations with Harry Redknapp and Sir Alex both seeing him as one of the most talented Englishmen of his generation.

When Cole, 28, burst onto the scene a decade ago, he was quickly labelled as a ‘wonderkid’, but has struggled with injuries. Despite this he has still played a vital role in Chelsea’s recent success, playing over 250 games for the club and netting 38 times.

And with Cole being a childhood Blues supporter you have to wonder if he would want to leave the club where the fans see him as one of their own.

He said: “I’m very lucky to play for Chelsea – it could not have worked out. So I count my blessings that I’m here and I want to give it my best shot and achieve whatever I can in the game.

“I would probably still be coming to watch now if I wasn’t a footballer. I’d come and pay to watch Chelsea, the same as the fans.”

And if it is purely a financial move that happens in the summer it is another point for those who say footballers are in it for the money and there is no loyalty left in the game.

Here’s hoping he makes the same decision JT did last summer and shuns the big money move.

But a fast start never did anyone any harm and Chelsea’s early season form has set the Blues up for a real tilt at the title this season. Saturday’s tie against Wolves on the face of it looked a banker home win but with a squad lacking five first team players it could have been tricky.

However there was no trouble as the Stamford Bridge crowd were treated to three goals inside the opening 20 minutes as a first eleven devoid of Michael Ballack, Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba mauled Wolves 4-0.

The stellar performance served to highlight one of Chelsea’s biggest strength this season; squad depth. While a weakened Liverpool struggled against Manchester City and an injury-struck Arsenal floundered against Sunderland, the Blues were rampant.

Granted, Wolves aren’t the best team in the world, and they performed particularly poorly with the highly-rated Hennessey having a day to forget in goal but Liverpool have dropped points at home this season against seemingly ‘easy’ opposition.

But when any team can call upon back-up players such as Brazilian internationals Alex and Belletti, also a Champions League winner, it would be foolish to bet against them lifting the Premier League trophy come May.

Many pundits and opposing fans are praying for January to come when Chelsea will lose Michael Essien, Salomon Kalou, John Obi Mikel and Drogba to the African Nations Cup but on this display, any gaps will be plugged with ease.

If you look at the squads that took to the field for Liverpool and Arsenal, they really missed key players. No Torres for Liverpool meant youngster David N’Gog led the line alone against big spending City. Arsenal desperately missed Robin van Persie with Andrey Arshavin only able to play the last half hour.

As for Chelsea, Salomon Kalou, Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka proved there is life after Drogba and Essien’s more advanced role in place of Lampard provided two goals for the Ghana star.

Even Carlo Ancelotti found time after the match to recognise the strength in depth of the squad.

He said: “We also showed we have a very good squad. Everyone asks about the future and the African Cup of Nations in January, but today you saw we have excellent young players and will be able to cope.”

And what of the youngsters? Fabio Borini made an appearance and is an extremely promising striker having netted goals in the reserves. And when Gael Kakuta stepped onto the pitch to make his well documented debut there was a huge weight on his shoulders. And he didn’t disappoint, having the audacity to take players on and striking a long range effort that was not far wide.

 The pace and trickery of young Kakuta brought to mind Arjen Robben on his debut off the bench against Blackburn where he produced some electric runs that whetted the Chelsea fans’ appetite.                                   

Ancelotti also praised Kakuta’s debut and his future potential, he said: “He showed fantastic talent and he did very well. He has a very big talent, he is very young and we have to be quiet with him because he has to improve and he has to work out how to be a Chelsea player.”

There is optimism around Stamford Bridge that whilst the title race is a marathon, Chelsea may just be able to keep the early season pace up throughout the season and leave the rest of the ‘Big Four’ in their wake.