John Terry: Captain, leader, legend, club philosopher. Chelsea FC should adorn the walls of Stamford Bridge and Cobham with quotes from his recent interview to teach generations of Blues the Chelsea Way.
John Terry’s interview with the club’s website this week should be annually required reading for every player at Chelsea, from the U8’s to the first team. Club staff should read it to understand what it is they are working to support. And Roman Abramovich should read it as Terry’s application for any job he ever wants at Chelsea.
Twenty years as a professional footballer requires exceptional levels of endurance, commitment and ambition. To do it at a single club requires an equally rare amount of loyalty. John Terry laid out exactly what has fueled him from his childhood onward.
On being a kid in the Terry household…
"Whenever I had an arm wrestle with my dad he would never let me win, never, and as a kid it absolutely frustrated the life out of me… I think it is a good way to bring kids up, as well as giving as much confidence as I can to my kids of course. But they need to know the difference between winning and losing and when they win they need to know they have earned it, so if they want to beat dad at table tennis, they better practice."
When a conniving, manipulative, self-serving manager (our words) exploits your most admirable qualities…
"I remember in Jose Mourinho’s years he was desperate for me to play or train when I had a broken toe and a broken bone in my foot. I had to have two injections in my toe every day for a whole year."
The raw, visceral pride that comes from being a selfless, aggressive defender. They don’t make many like this any more…
"I love a tackle. For me it is like scoring a goal, a really good tackle or a block where you take one in the face or get a ball smashed in your face from five yards but you stop a goal. That is the equivalent of a goal for me. I think it is the “old school” in me, the generation I was brought up in."
How going on loan teaches young players about “the real world” of football…
"Going on loan definitely did for me as a young player. You go into dressing rooms with real men where winning means everything, bonuses mean paying the mortgage, and there aren’t things you take for granted."
The club called this segment “The John Terry farewell interview,” but that is a conveniently inaccurate title. “The John Terry end-of-playing career interview” or “The John Terry I’ll be back in a bit interview” would be much more truthful. But we understand the need to write concise, snappy titles.
Next: Fulham's Marcus Bettinelli has the right qualities to replace Asmir Begovic
Exit question: How long until Terry and Frank Lampard write a book together?