John Terry is a 'fantastic captain' says England coach Stuart Pearce

John Terry has received a boost ahead of his planned meeting with Fabio Capello later this week after Stuart Pearce, the England Under-21 manager and a member of Capello's back room staff, endorsed the defender's qualities as an international captain. A debate has raged about Terry's suitability to lead the national side ever since stories surrounding his private life began circulating in the media on Friday. Some senior members of the Football Association's international committee are believed to have already expressed their desire that Terry be removed as captain before this summer's World Cup, but the FA has stated publicly that the final decision will be made by the England manager, who is currently at his holiday home in Switzerland recovering from a knee operation but is scheduled to return tomorrow and meet with Terry on Friday. "Fabio will be wanting to be a dominant voice," Pearce told the London Evening Standard. "I couldn't see anyone else going above Fabio and making decisions in respect to who captains the side above him. "The one thing I would say is John Terry is a fantastic captain, in footballing terms on and off the pitch I think he is a selfless professional and his form is fantastic for his country." Pearce also criticised the invasion into Terry's personal life and the reaction of supporters, at Burnley on Saturday and Hull last night, who have barracked the 29-year-old since the news broke. "I'm not a big lover of witch hunts of people, which I'm afraid our country tends to follow a little bit these days," added the former Nottingham Forest defender. "John, his family and everyone concerned in the matter – it's a matter for those people."