Tag Archives: John Terry

Should Premier League clubs take a punt on John Terry?

Posted on by
Reply

Screen Shot 2018-05-31 at 18.23.30

Once Aston Villa’s play off dreams were left in tatters by Fulham, you knew it wouldn’t be long before the clearout began.

Sure enough, just a few days later, the Villains announced, through their social media channels, that captain John Terry was leaving.

Unable to continue to pay his not insignificant wages, regrettably the Midlanders were left with little choice.

The swiftness with which the announcement has come, however, should help both player and club and for that, Villa should be applauded.

He leaves behind a gaping hole and Steve Bruce is unlikely to be able to fill it with someone of Terry’s calibre.

For all of his off-field shenanigans, Terry remains the consummate professional on the pitch.

A true warrior, he commands respect with ease and continues to lead by example.

Despite his advancing years – he’ll be 38 halfway through the 2018/19 campaign – there still seems to be enough in his natural game to suggest that a handful of Premier League clubs offering him a one-year deal wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility.

He’s lost a yard of pace, and that’s to be expected, but his positional sense and reading of the game are still top class.

Still as fit as a fiddle, some of his old school training workouts at Villa – up and down each set of stairs in the lower Holte End – would put some of the youngsters to shame.

The lack of take up from Premier League clubs for his services this time last year would indicate that the buyers market is a small one, but there’s arguably a few clubs that would benefit from his experience.

Coming home to west London could be an option, with Fulham, the club who denied him a top flight return at the first time of asking, one who could afford his salary.

Neil Warnock at Cardiff is precisely the type of manager who would love to have Terry at the heart of his backline, but whether owner Vincent Tan is willing to put his hand in his pocket isn’t known at this juncture.

If he keeps himself fit over the next couple of months and into pre-season, there’s no reason that he can’t earn himself a contract.

And being back in the English top flight would be the most appropriate way for him to bring the curtain down on what’s been a fabulous, if controversial, career.

Do you have what it takes to challenge the best Fantasy Managers? If you’re up to challenging the best then play  www.eurofantasyleague.com now!

John Terry Will Be a Championship Player Next Season

Posted on by
Reply

Chelsea-Terry

With the passage of time, new eras arrive while others meet their end. Sir Alex Ferguson lowered the curtain on an era completely of his own in 2013 when he retired from managing Man United – a position he had held for some 27 years.

On the other hand, Arsene Wenger’s era as manager of Arsenal is to continue for a little while longer, much to the chagrin of some sections of supporters and the delight of others. Continue reading →

Top ten footballers aged 35 or older in Europe

Posted on by
Reply

Quarter final Germany vs Italy

In today’s football world, clubs are keen to land young players who seem to possess a wide range of talents. Huge transfer fees are paid, based on potential. Just think about Renato Sanches, Anthony Martial, and Raheem Sterling.

However, talent doesn’t always guarantee success. Just ask the following ten players who are aged 35 years or older. They are still playing a big part in their respective European clubs’ performances due to their massive experience.

1. Gianluigi Buffon (38, Juventus)

Buffon is still the most expensive goalkeeper ever and rightfully so. He kept 21 clean sheets in Serie A, second behind only Atletico’s Jan Oblak, and made a bunch of key saves for Juve. He won yet another Scudetto, while also shining at Euro 2016 with Italy.

2. Andrea Barzagli (35, Juventus)

Buffon got help from Juve’s BBC defence: Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, and Andrea Barzagli. The latter one is the most classy defender of the three, being able to defend any forward due to his amazing positional play, strength and football IQ.

3. Aritz Aduriz (35, Athletic Bilbao)

Some footballers get better with age and Aduriz is a typical example of this. The striker scored a career high 20 La Liga goals last season for Bilbao, in addition to 10 goals in the Europa League, which earned himself a place in Spain’s squad for Euro 2016.

4. Tiago (35, Atletico Madrid)

It’s not as if Atletico Madrid suffered a lot this season when Tiago went down injured with a tibial fracture. But they did miss his experience and power in midfield during the Champions League final and the final stages of the Primera Division season.

5. Francesco Totti (39, AS Roma)

No active player has been attached to one club for such a long period than Totti, who’s been in Roma’s senior team for 22 years. He endured a difficult season in the Italian capital but still provided five goals and four assists in just 13 appearances.

6. Patrice Evra (35, Juventus)

Another Juve player. Evra joined the Old Lady in 2014 and has won two Serie A titles and two Italian cups since, while reaching the Champions League final last season and the Euro 2016 final this summer. He’s still a reliable left-back and an assurance for success.

7. Claudio Pizarro (37, Werder Bremen)

Pizarro’s spell at Bayern wasn’t a huge success, as the Peruvian was mainly used as a substitute by Der Rekordmeister. However, he rejoined Werder Bremen last summer and hit the net 14 times in 28 Bundesliga games at the age of 37.

8. John Terry (35, Chelsea)

Last season appeared to be Terry’s last for Chelsea, but that changed when Jose Mourinho was fired and the centre-back was able to give the Blues defence stability again after a very bad start to the Premier League season by the Stamford Bridge club.

9. Luisao (35, Benfica)

Benfica fans saw just 11 appearances by their captain Luisao last season. The Brazilian suffered an arm injury in November and missed the rest of the season. However, when healthy, the physical Luisao is still one of the better centre-backs in Europe.

10. Dirk Kuyt (35, Feyenoord)

Last but not least is former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt. The 35-year-old Dutchman left Turkey for former club Feyenoord and impressed with his goalscoring and leadership. Kuyt hit the net 19 times in the Eredivisie and four times in the Dutch cup.

Honorable mentions: Gareth Barry (35, Everton), Heurelho Gomes (35, Watford), Ricardo Carvalho (38, Monaco).

Could John Terry sign a new deal at Chelsea this summer?

Posted on by
Reply

John-terry-700x394

Chelsea defender John Terry looked on his way out of Stamford Bridge with the club having failed to offer him a contract extension to keep him in London past this summer, but the former England international has made a late plea to be retained for the 2016/17 season, citing how he could play for two more years at the top level. “I still want to play for a couple more years, hopefully at Chelsea. I’m a Chelsea player and Chelsea’s been my club from the age of 14. I love Chelsea,” said Terry in a recent interview.

The 35-year-old has made over 700 appearances for Chelsea, but has endured a difficult campaign which has coincided with the Blues woes too. Chelsea are a club who don’t pander to sentiment, having let the likes of long-serving stars Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba leave as they felt they were surplus to requirements. Terry is still regarded as Chelsea’s best central defender due to the inconsistent form of Gary Cahill and the injured Kurt Zouma, and head coach Guus Hiddink believes he deserves to kept.

“When I make a judgement on his age and his fitness then he is able to continue. He is able to play. Despite the season not being a great season, it’s always good to have the key players on board and playing. But it is up to the club to make declarations on that. Whether (the Sunderland game) would have been his last is not up to me. Whatever happens, it’s clear that when he goes, if he does, then he deserves a huge goodbye,” said the Dutchman.

Terry has never been blessed with excessive pace so he’s had to rely on his reading abilities and aggression to stay as a top-level defender, and he has a big presence in the dressing room as an academy graduate. Chelsea are appointing Antonio Conte as their next manager for 2016/17, and the Italian coach would certainly love to utilise a defender like Terry at the heart of his defence.

Chelsea have signed two notable central defenders in the last 12 months – Matt Miazga from New York Red Bulls and Papy Djilobodji from Nantes – but both centre-backs have yet to prove they could replace a player like Terry on a permanent basis. Until then, the veteran is surely work keeping, and Chelsea may change their stance on their long-serving star as a result.

Chelsea won’t be offering John Terry a contract extension in the summer

Posted on by
Reply

John-terry-700x394

Chelsea defender John Terry recently revealed the club won’t be offering him a new deal to keep him at Stamford Bridge past the summer, and added that he could consider a move abroad to continue his playing career as he won’t join another English side. The veteran centre-back has been the cornerstone of Chelsea’s success in the last decade and more, but is deemed surplus to requirements by the club hierarchy.

“I was told last week before the Arsenal game that it’s not going to be extended. It’s my last run in the FA Cup so I want to make it a good one. It’s a big season for me and I want to push on – not just in this competition but in the Premier League as well. Mentally I’ve kind of accepted it. We just have to move on. “They said thing might change when the new manager comes in, but it’s a no at the minute,” the former England international revealed.

Terry has played a big part in Chelsea’s domestic and European success in the 2000s onwards, and while struggling for consistency at times this season, still remained an influential figure to have about the squad. The 35-year-old can certainly feel mistreated given the likes of Branislav Ivanovic has earned himself a new deal despite a woeful season in regard to form. But now Terry could follow in the footsteps of Fran k Lampard to the MLS.

“I couldn’t play for another Premier League club, so it will be elsewhere for sure,” he admitted. But (until then) my performance isn’t going to change – the way I train, what I give for the club. I want to give everything and finish on a high, on 100 per cent good terms with the club. Chelsea will move on. No player is ever bigger than the club. Ideally I would have loved to stay, but they-re moving in a different direction. No doubt they’ll sign one or two great centre-backs.”

It’s not the fairy-tale ending Terry admitted he wanted to have with Chelsea, but there is still a slim hope of a U-turn when the club make a permanent managerial appointment in the summer. But for a player who has achieved so much for one club to be left in the dark about his own future looks bad on Chelsea. There are tens of unwanted players on the Chelsea books that are being loaned out until the end of their contracts that have more job security than Terry.

Has John Terry been treated unfairly by Chelsea?

Is John Terry finished at Chelsea?

Posted on by
Reply

Chelsea defender John Terry sees question marks over his long-term future with the club after being substituted for Kurt Zouma in the Blues’ 3-0 defeat against Manchester City on the weekend. Manager Jose Mourinho had never brought the former England international off in a league game prior to Sunday’s loss, and it’s seen rumours flying around about his position with the Premier League champions.

The holders have endured a disappointing start to the new season, picking up just one point from their first two games, and Mourinho has been frustrated in his attempts to bolster his defence. Everton centre-back John Stones was subject to a bid of around £25M from Chelsea, and was reportedly being lined up as a replacement for Terry in the future.

The 34-year-old defender failed to make a tackle or interception in the 45 minutes he was on the pitch, and made the least amount of passes in the entire side. He wasn’t at his best against Manchester City, and Mourinho admitted after the game that he needed a defender with pace to nullify the threat of City striker Sergio Aguero. Terry admitted earlier in the season that it would be hard to keep his place, and he’s so far been proven right.

Further reports have suggested that Mourinho has been happy with Terry’s performances this season, and was planning to axe him from the starting eleven entirely. Zouma provides a much more athletic option in the backline, meaning he can operate in a high defensive line, rather than having to hold a deeper position. It’s unknown if Terry will start against West Bromwich Albion, but given Albion’s pace through the middle with Saido Berahino, Zouma might be a viable option.

The 34-year-old was regarded as the best central defender in the Premier League last season after a fantastic campaign that saw the Londoners claim the title, as well as Terry playing every minute of every game in the division. His performance against Manchester City will be a real worry to Mourinho, as over two stints at the club Terry has been his No.1 centre-back.

Gary Cahill is expected to take over the mantle when the veteran centre-back hands up his boots, but options are thin alongside him. It’s why Chelsea have been targeting a central defender this summer, and why they are likely to revisit John Stones’ availability before the transfer window closes. The debate rages whether Stones is worth the reported £30M asking price, but John Terry’s fledging form is certainly accelerating the transition process.

Should England bring back John Terry to the fold?

Posted on by

Chelsea centre-back and long-serving captain John Terry put in a stoic defensive performance in the Capital One Cup final, that saw him scoring the opening goal, as well as keeping a clean sheet en route to victory. The 34-year-old capped what has been an incredible season in regard to personal performances, while proving his qualities despite being a veteran defender, and may have been talking about a return to England as a result.

With the likes of Gary Cahill (Chelsea) and Phil Jagielka (Everton) struggling for form, while having been underwhelming as a centre-back partnership, many felt Terry could replicate his Chelsea antics for the Three Lions if played alongside Cahill. However, Terry – who resigned from international duty in 2012 – has played down any chance of him returning to the fold?

“Being back at Wembley, the atmosphere, the stadium – it’s one of the best (stadiums) I’ve played in. I have missed playing in these big stadiums and in these competitions. They started playing the national anthem before the game and I was going then. But it’s never crossed my mind to play for England again. I have drawn a line under it and the squad can move on, “ he said, following Chelsea’s triumph against Tottenham in the Capital One Cup final.

Last season, Chelsea boasted the best defence in the Premier League, amassing 18 clean sheets and conceding only 27 goals. This campaign has seen them keep 12 clean sheets in 26 games so far, shipping 22 goals. Their defensive record has been down to the consistent Terry, who shows no signs of a decline just yet, and is keen to extend his stay with the Blues for as long as possible.

England have been susceptible at the back for many years, which leaves manager Roy Hodgson with a real conundrum. He’s praised Terry in the past, and did admit he would consider him back of the centre-back made it publicly clear, but has also stated he won’t chase the Chelsea man to return.

The last time Terry lined up in a Three Lions shirt was all the way back in 2012 after the European Championships. He won 78 caps for England, but allegations of racial abuse towards Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand tarnished his reputation and ultimately made his position “untenable”. His last game for Roy Hodgson’s side was a 5-0 win against Moldova in a World Cup qualifier (2014). But will there be any return for Terry?