John Terry finds it so hard to say sorry

It was inevitable John Terry would be stripped of the England captaincy the moment he refused to do the decent thing and quit on Monday.

What the hell were his advisers doing? How couldn't they see the only way for JT to retain a crumb of credibility was to call Fabio Capello and resign? Instead, his reputation has been hit again and again until it's virtually destroyed now.

Sorry shouldn't have been a word that stuck in his throat, it should have been the first word out of his mouth.

Sorry to his wife and children for putting them through such pain.

Sorry to Capello and the FA for the embarrassment he's caused.

Sorry to the nation for letting them down.

Now, though, we should let Terry try to repair his life. He's had the humiliation of a very public sacking, it's time he was left to sort himself out. As an England player, I don't think it matters that he's not wearing the armband, he'll still give everything for his country.

It's away from the pitch where the damage is done and only by keeping his head down and staying out of the spotlight until the World Cup can he make that good.

Real kings at Palace

It's not often you read anything in praise of Neil Warnock but I've got to take my hat off to him and his Crystal Palace side for what they did this week.

To put all the horrible pressure of administration to one side and beat Wolves 3-0 in the FA Cup is a quite amazing feat. It says so much for Warnock and the Palace players that they can put the fears over thier future to one side and beat a Premier League side so convincingly.

The same goes for Notts County and their victory at Wigan. Like Palace, they've got every excuse for giving up the ghost when their careers are threatened by circumstances they can't control. Instead, both clubs have got a new lease of life this week, in the dressing room, at least.

That's why it doesn't sit comfortably with me that Portsmouth players seem to have jacked it in. Yes, they've not been paid when they should have been - but these are people earning often 20 or 30 grand a week. They're not exactly on the breadline. They ought to look at Palace and Notts County and perhaps learn a lesson.

The window pain

The transfer window - I hate it. Now, it seems, most of the other managers are of the same mind too. Hardly any business done, nobody wanting to take a gamble on players, least of all spend big money. I would say the January window is a virtual waste of time.

What I can't believe is that so much of the business is done on the last day when you've got no time at all to bed a player down.