Harry Redknapp has told Sam Allardyce to persuade John Terry into returning to international football with England by making him captain of the side.

The Chelsea defender controversially quit the Three Lions in 2012 after the Football Association pursued racial abuse charges against him, despite being cleared at court.

Now, after a four-year absence from the England fold, Redknapp believes that 78-times capped Terry could be the ideal candidate to lead out his country should current skipper Wayne Rooney lose the armband.

"I'm delighted Sam has got the job," he told talkSPORT. "I think he'll do great. He'll give it a real go but when you start looking at leaders, where are they in the game? Bring John Terry back out of retirement and make him captain.

"If you play Wayne Rooney, he's got to be captain. I don't see anybody else in the squad who I would make captain in front of Rooney. I like Eric Dier, he's a fantastic player. A very quiet lad who gets on with job but he's not the captain of Tottenham so [I would] not [make him England skipper] at the moment.

"If Rooney is in the team and Dier is in the team, I go Rooney. If Rooney isn't in the team it's a scary [thought]. I watched a programme the other day about Euro 96 - Stuart Pearce, captain, leader. Sol Campbell, Tony Adams, Paul Ince, Teddy Sheringham, Alan Shearer. How many captains and leaders? Now you look at the squad and you can't find a captain."

Allardyce, officially appointed as England manager last week, admitted at his unveiling that he was unsure who would captain the side.