Thursday , March 28 2024

John Terry is nearing the end of his Chelsea career… but as he takes his coaching badges and helps in training, what next for ‘captain, leader, legend’?

When Chelsea sign a new star, one usually-overlooked line some way down their big-money contract tends to read: ‘The player’s normal retirement age is 35 years.’

By that reckoning, John Terry – the star who seems to have always been there – is well into borrowed time already. On Wednesday, the Blues’ ‘Captain, Leader, Legend’ turns 36.

Out of the side, with little prospect of getting back in regularly and with a contract that expires in a few months’ time, once again this looks like the end of the road.

Chelsea have been here before, of course. Terry only signed a new one-year, £50,000-per-week deal in May when it looked like he had already played his last game for the club. But again the signals are that the current season might be Terry’s final one in royal blue.

The skipper remains the consummate professional and a constant source of support even while he sits on the sidelines. His influence on the pitch has been limited of late, though.

That professional attitude is why he has been seen helping out with post-match warm-down sessions for unused substitutes on the pitch with a stopwatch in hand, as witnessed in the recent win at Southampton.

Club sources say Terry is not leading the sessions, just helping out. He has been working on his coaching badges but remains uncertain of his long-term plans.

For the victory at Manchester City on Saturday, Terry travelled up with the rest of the squad despite a muscle injury in his backside giving him no chance of playing.

He sat in the stands at the Etihad Stadium and wouldn’t have been widely popular with the way he celebrated Chelsea’s goals, stood up and cheering in the not-so-cheap seats.

Not that Terry will mind – most of his career has been played out to a backdrop of hatred and ire from rival supporters. They are not getting much of an opportunity to direct it at him right now, though.

The problem is Terry looks a square peg in Antonio Conte’s powerful 3-4-3 formation, although Cesc Fabregas’ performance on Saturday gives hope to anyone who looked to have no route back into the side.

If Chelsea’s best centre back of all time cannot find a place, though, the questions over what comes next will inevitably get louder.

The stopwatch stuff and coaching badges are loose links but a move into Conte’s backroom staff would be one obvious option.

Terry has kept notes on each manager he has worked under: from Jose Mourinho to Carlo Ancelotti to Conte. Chelsea’s revolving door has provided some education.

Conte, having been quizzed on the topic of Frank Lampard, has not distanced himself from the prospect of former heroes of the Roman Abramovich era becoming coaches under him, but there are only so many roles to go around.

More likely, for now, is the almost unthinkable: Terry playing in the shirt of any club that is not Chelsea for the first time since his loan spell at Nottingham Forest 16 years ago.

He is adamant that he could not play for another team in the Premier League, although there would be interested parties. China is a big-money option and there is likely to be the odd offer from continental Europe.

A stint in Major League Soccer, following old Chelsea team-mates Ashley Cole, Lampard and Didier Drogba, has more roadblocks with defenders not typically offered ‘designated player’ status. Therefore a salary cap of around £6,500 per week would be imposed.

Away from the pitch, he has interests in a swimwear brand and other projects on the horizon.

Terry wants to play for another two years and – while it cannot be ruled out – that looks unlikely to be spent at chelsea.

‘I still want to play for a couple more years – whether that is here at Chelsea or somewhere abroad, I don’t know,’ he said recently.

‘I am contracted to Chelsea for this season and then will see after that.

‘I’m doing my coaching badges. I don’t know if I want to be a coach, but I want to do my badges and pass.’

This week marked 15 years since Terry first captained Chelsea in a 1-0 defeat by Charlton Athletic. As the clock counts upwards on that record the time might be ticking away elsewhere.

For now he remains determined to keep a playing career going that looks like leading somewhere away from Stamford Bridge.

Terry holds no grudges and appreciates Conte’s honesty in telling him there is no way back into this winning team the manager has stumbled upon, as it stands.

But Terry’s association with Chelsea is far from over. Whether it is through coaching or a role elsewhere he is likely to find himself staying involved in the club – it might just involve a brief hiatus elsewhere first.

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