Bridge withdraws from England team
Defender pulls out of contention from England team following John Terry scandal.
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| Bridge has described his position in the squad as ‘untenable’ [GALLO/GETTY] |
Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge has issued a statement declaring himself unavailable for selection by England ahead of June’s World Cup in South Africa.
The announcement follows much speculation after former England captain John Terry’s revelations of an affair with the defender’s former partner.
Bridge said in a statement that his presence in the World Cup squad could cause friction, leaving coach Fabio Capello with potential problems filling the left back position.
‘Potentially divisive’
“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 a statement released on Thursday.
“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.”
Bridge was a club mate of Terry’s at Chelsea before joining Manchester City last year.
Terry was stripped of the England captaincy by manager Fabio Capello as a result of the publicity surrounding the matter.
His decision leaves England coach Fabio Capello with a problem at left-back after first-choice Ashley Cole, another former Chelsea team mate, is out until May at the earliest with a broken ankle and may not be fit for the World Cup finals in South Africa which start on June 11.
Bridge and Terry are due to meet on the pitch for the first time since details of the alleged affair were made public when Manchester City visit Chelsea on Saturday.