A health minister has hit back at the decision by England manager Fabio Capello to sack captain John Terry following allegations the footballer had an affair.

Health minister Mike O'Brien wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter that: "The sacking of Terry is crass. Capello has bowed to tabloid pressure. Infidelity is bad but I saw no signs of fatigue in his football."

Terry was stripped of the captaincy after allegations he had an affair with England team-mate Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend, Vanessa Perroncel.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, however, has said: "This decision must be for the manager and Mr Capello has made that decision. I think people will abide by that decision."

And David Jones MP, shadow minister for Wales, wrote on his blog: "Sadly, Mike [O'Brien]is missing the point, which is unfortunate, given that the whole point of Twitter is to be TO the point. Terry has not been booted out of the England team (though many would say he should have been); he will, it would appear, still be gracing the turf of Wembley with his unfatigued presence, three lions emblazoned on his left breast.

"No, Capello has dismissed Terry as captain of his country’s national side. And Signor Capello was entirely right.

"The captaincy of any national sporting side brings with it considerably more responsibility than that which comes with simply playing for it. You become an ambassador for your country. You become, to use the hackneyed phrase, a role model. Kids look up to you and aspire to be like you. It's a very heavy thing."

Capello said in a statement on Friday: "After much thought, I have made the decision that it will be best for me to take the captaincy away from John Terry.

"As a captain with the team, John Terry has displayed extremely positive behaviour. However, I have to take into account other considerations and what is best for all of the England squad.

"What is best for all of the England team has inspired my choice. John Terry was notified first."

After losing the captaincy Terry told The Sun newspaper he was "gutted" at being sacked.
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