The clamour for Chelsea's inspirational skipper, John Terry, to be given the captain's armband at international level is sure to go on until the end of next year's World Cup in Germany.
David Beckham is sure to lead England through the 2006 finals, but manager Sven-G^ran Eriksson has noted the 24-year-old's qualities.
Terry will be one of the favourite to take over from the Real Madrid player when he does step down, which could be at the end of these finals.
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Indeed, Terry's credentials as a captain were identified by Eriksson's number two Tord Grip, last year. "John Terry is a leader," he acknowledged. "He is captain and has been a regular in Chelsea's team and has played a lot of international games.
"To play and train with great players improves you. You have to be on your toes to compete in training."
Terry has already been likened to another of England's finest captains - Tony Adams.
" He's probably better on the ball than Tony Adams," said Grip. "But as a leader he's the same type of player. He can one day be captain of England."
Nobody would have given Terry a cat in hell's chance of captaining his country after numerous off-field problems blighted his formative years at Stamford Bridge.
In 2002, he appeared in court after being involved in a brawl at a London nightclub - he was later cleared of affray. He was also among a number of Chelsea players to upset American tourists in a bar after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Yet the decision of Jose Mourinho to make him Chelsea captain has undoubtedly been the making of him.
