Public and fans agree with demotion of John Terry as captain, and Steven Gerrard is the most popular choice to replace him.
Many English football fans are predicting a good showing for the national team at the South Africa 2010 World Cup, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample of 2,002 British adults, 60 per cent of respondents say they will be rooting for England during the World Cup.
While clear majorities in London, the South, Midlands and Wales and the North will support England during the World Cup, only 20 per cent of respondents in Scotland will join them.
Predictions
Roughly two-in-five Britons believe that England will either win the World Cup (6%), play in the final (8%) or reach the semi-finals (25%). One-in-five (20%) think England will reach the quarterfinals, and five per cent think the team will make it to the Round of 16. Only five per cent of respondents foresee a World Cup where England does not make it out of the Group Stage.
When the views of true football fans are assessed, 13 per cent predict a World Cup victory and 10 per cent foresee a showing in the final. A large proportion of football fans (41%) foresee England reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 1990.
The Captaincy
Half of Britons (52%) and two-thirds of true football fans (66%) agree with the recent demotion of Chelsea’s John Terry as England’s captain.
When asked who should replace Terry, 22 per cent of Britons—and 36 per cent of true football fans—select Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard. AC Milan’s David Beckham is second among Britons with 16 per cent, followed by Chelsea’s Frank Lampard with 11 per cent. Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand are in single digits (9% and 8% respectively).
For football fans, Lampard is second to Gerrard with 17 per cent, followed by Ferdinand with 14 per cent, Beckham with 13 per cent, and Rooney with 12 per cent.
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CONTACT:
Andy Morris, Research Director, London
+ 44-207-065-7272
andy.morris@angus-reid.com
lf you look at all the players for England, they all have skeletons in their cupboard. Why should Terry be any different?
Will we really get that far?
The behaviour of John Terry when he was Captain, which seems to be missed, is his abuse of his status in relation to a team and squad member. This very poor leadership of a team which operates on and off the field. It has resulted in damaging team togetherness at a crucial time. I see no reason for keeping him on in the role.
Who cares. I am Welsh with Scottish and Irish blood frankly i will be supporting everyone else.