John Terry sent out a clear signal he is back as England captain today after leading the players out for their first training session ahead of their Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales on Saturday.
Terry has been given the armband back on a permanent basis by coach Fabio Capello 13 months after the Italian stripped him of the honour for misdemeanors in his private life.
The 30-year-old controversially replaced Rio Ferdinand, who is sidelined by a thigh injury, but looked like he meant business when he walked out at Arsenal's London Colney training complex in front of his team-mates.
Capello has come under fire for his decision and there has been talk of dressing room unrest at the way he has handled the situation.
Significantly the former Real Madrid coach held a meeting with the whole squad on the training ground before the session began and was seen talking animatedly to his players for nearly five minutes.
It was the first time he had spoken to the squad since his decision to return the captaincy to the Chelsea defender. Terry surrounded himself with those known to be his friends in the camp, including Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney, as they began the session with some routine warm-up drills.
It is believed he has already been given a message of support from displaced captain Ferdinand in much the same way that Terry did when he was axed as skipper last year.
Andy Carroll was also looking sharp as he hopes to prove his fitness in time to line up alongside Rooney in Cardiff on Saturday. Carroll has made just four appearances since recovering from a thigh injury but is already being considered by Capello for a place in the first team.
The Italian coach gave an early indication into his thinking by pairing Rooney and the Liverpool striker in the same coloured training bibs ahead of today's session.
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England general manager Franco Baldini has watched the striker, who moved to Anfield from Newcastle in a £35million deal in January, in his last three matches.
It is believed Capello sees Carroll's style of play as ideal for what is expected to be a physical encounter and he wants to field a 4-4-2 formation. There are still doubts over the 22-year-old's physical condition and England will be monitoring his progress closely.
The only player who didn't take part in training after Capello addressed the squad was Livepool right-back Glen Johnson, who went inside to do some gym work on his own. But there is nothing untoward and he is expected to take a full part in the rest of the week.
