John Terry: Should England bring back the Chelsea captain for Euro 2016?

Roy Hodgson has seemingly opened the door for the Chelsea skipper

(Getty Images)

England manager Roy Hodgson seems to have left the door open for Chelsea captain John Terry to make a remarkable return to the England squad for the first time since he retired from international football in 2012.

Hodgson admitted, after England conceded four goals in two games against Germany and the Netherlands, that the Three Lions lack centre-backs, especially those who can play on the left side: Terry's position.

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has now become one of the first names on the team sheet by default, but who fills the space next to him is less clear.

John Terry has a much better track record than any of the men who have filled the role recently, but would a return to the international scene be good for the England team? Here we look at the arguments for and against the return of the Chelsea skipper.

*VOTE BELOW*

THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST

He'll create a sideshow

John Terry, despite his immense qualities as a defender, comes with baggage. A lot of baggage. His return will definitely spark a media frenzy - we all know how the England team is covered by the press when it comes to major tournaments - not only on the back pages but in the front pages as well. His return will lead to numerous think pieces over his morals and there will be questions about his past.

Does the England team really need that in the build-up to a tournament? One in which they seemingly have a decent chance? The Football Association have famously avoided controversy at every turn in their 153-year history, they will not want to seek it now.

The squad appears happy

In the past England squad's have been the subject of cliques and tensions, but this current group seems to get along very well. Terry certainly has the respect of his fellow professionals, but there have been times in the past when he has clashed with fellow members of the squad. Those players, notably Rio Ferdinand, are no longer around of course, but it's hard to know how other members of the current squad really feel about the man.

Building for the future

John Terry was part of a wasted 'Golden Generation' that, if you think about it, massively under performed at major tournaments. Wayne Rooney is the only other member from that time still around and perhaps it's for the best that England move on.

The Chelsea captain is 35 and, if he doesn't return to Stamford Bridge next season, is not likely to play at the top level beyond the end of this season. A lucrative deal in the MLS or China awaits.

John Stones is 21 and could be an England regular for the next 12 years - is it better to think short-term with the superior player in Terry or build something that lasts with Stones?

THE ARGUMENTS FOR

He's obviously the best option

The sad, indicting fact that Terry is even in the conversation for a return is the one that's most blindingly obvious. He is so much better than anything else England can trot out in France.

Chris Smalling is a certainty to start as the right-sided centre-back, but the position next to him is easily the weakest in a very good looking England squad.

Terry has played more than 100 Champions League games and helped Chelsea win the competition in 2012, even if he wasn't on the field. He has four Premier League titles, five FA Cups, the League Cup three times and the Europa League. He's played in finals, semi-finals and the quarter-finals of big international tournaments. He has 78 caps and is a former England captain (twice) with more than 700 career games. There's no one currently available who can match his experience, record of winning or desire to win.

On the pitch he was named in the Premier League Team of the Year only last season. This year his performance has slipped, like every player in Blue, but he's still been Chelsea's best defender and absolutely deserves a new contract to continue at Stamford Bridge next season. Chelsea look like a completely different, unorganised mess when he doesn't play.

Still not convinced? Just look at the competition.

(Squawka Comparison Matrix (Squawka Comparison Matrix)

Terry's numbers, via Squawka, hardly jump off the page but there are a couple of crucial indicators. He is still dominant in the air, winning a higher percentage of headers than his rivals (bar Phil Jones who has played less than a third of the time). He hasn't made an error in the Premier League all season, he doesn't commit many fouls - as he's rarely caught out of position - and the number of interceptions, blocks and clearances are still comparable despite being the oldest and least athletic of the group. Although he has played slightly more frequently.

The only number where is obviously trailing is to Stones in the amount of tackles, but watch the Everton youngster carefully and an awful lot of those are in recovery after losing his man; that doesn't often happen with the supremely aware Terry.

Gary Cahill, having captained England against Germany, would appear to be Hodgson's first choice. Ask any Chelsea fan in the world who is the better defender and they will say Terry. It's not even close.

Cahill is arguably the fourth best centre-back at Stamford Bridge (behind Terry, Kurt Zouma and right-back Branislav Ivanovic) and is lucky that injuries to Terry and Zouma even allowed him to come back into the Chelsea team. Without those injuries he wouldn't be playing for club or country, having started just two of nine Premier League matches between the start of December and Zouma getting injured at the beginning of February. He showed in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain that he's just not good enough against top level competition, a fact that has been proven time and again.

Phil Jagielka is also having his own struggles this season and, like Cahill, it's been proved that he never has been, and never well be, a top level operator. He's never played in the Champions League, he's never won a major trophy and his Everton side are currently enduring a worse season than Chelsea. Luis Suarez embarrassed him at the World Cup in Brazil. Jagielka is a solid reserve and should absolutely go to France, but he will be exploited by the best.

Ten or 15 years ago, John Stones would have been a holding midfielder but in true Pep Guardiola fashion, like Javier Mascherano or Joshua Kimmich, Stones is now seen as a ball-playing centre-back, capable of playing the pressing game high up the pitch because of his talent on the ball. He's superb on the ball, able to ping 50 yard passes, dribble the ball out of defence and generally looks completely assured and in control.

The problem with Stones is that he's not actually a good defender. He's not very good at stopping his opponent from scoring.

Jagielka and Rodrigo Funes Mori are keeping him out of a defensively awful Everton team; he's prone to mistakes and lapses in concentration. Hodgson said he played pretty well against the Netherlands but the bottom line is his mistake cost England a goal in a defeat. That kind of error will see England crashing out of the Euros.

Phil Jones, a Hodgson favourite, has not played nearly enough this season and is still far too erratic. Arsenal defender Calum Chambers is better at right-back and not close to being trusted by Arsene Wenger and although Eric Dier is having a brilliant season, he hasn't played at the back in a year and has a compelling case for a starting position in England's midfield. Any other options are untested.

VOTE HERE:

The time is now

England can forever look to the future but the reality is that tournaments only come once every two years and it'll be 20 years this summer since England last reached a semi-final. Looking through the most recent squads and it's hard not to be impressed with the amount of young, exciting talent England has. There are three very good goalkeepers, two good right-backs, three (maybe four) good left-backs, numerous options in midfield, on the wing and up front. Our rejects XI, players who shouldn't play at the Euros, included Premier League stars such as Jack Wilshere, Michael Carrick and Theo Walcott.

England have a very good squad, but there is a real weakness at one position.

John Terry has made a brilliant career in that position. England need him back.