John Terry: Chelsea’s greatest player of all time calls it a day

John Terry has announced his retirement after months of speculation. He will go down as one of, if not the greatest Chelsea players of all time.

The beginning of the process can likely be traced back to Andre Villas-Boas’ project. The Blues had just come off of a disappointing season and sacking with Carlo Ancelotti. Villas-Boas was brought in with the mandate to make the team his. His first stop was to replace the old guard of Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, and of course, John Terry.

It did not work. Villas-Boas was sacked and Chelsea won the Champions League. No, Terry was not present on the pitch that last day (due to a silly red card earned against Alexis Sanchez and Barcelona). But he famously launched thousands of memes when he turned up to lift the trophy in full kit.

Chelsea did as Chelsea does and sacked Roberto Di Matteo. His replacement, Rafa, also felt as though Terry was past his expiration date. Benitez’s stay was always going to be temporary and when Jose Mourinho returned, so too did the Terry of old.

For two years under Mourinho, Terry was unstoppable once again. He extended his contract and his eventual departure from the Blues seemed long down the line. But then 2015/2016 happened and injuries took Terry out of what was already a bad situation.

Antonio Conte respected Terry and kept him involved but knew that his place was no longer on the pitch most days. Chelsea lifted the title and bid their farewell to the skipper after many years of stop starts.

Terry would continue his career at Aston Villa the next season. Despite missing plenty of time through injury, he still won plaudits for his play. But when Aston Villa failed to find promotion, they simply could not afford to keep Terry around. So the Englishman wandered in the wilderness for a few months as he worked on his coaching badges and looked for a new club. Spartak Moscow and Sporting were linked but both ultimately panned out.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa, rife with turmoil at the start of this season, sacked their manager Steve Bruce. Terry, having not completed his badges yet, could not become their manager. But Thierry Henry could after assisting in Belgium’s historic World Cup run.

So it seems all but decided that Henry will become the Aston Villa manager. And it appears that Terry has opted to retire after his months in the wilderness in part to be Henry’s assistant.

Terry was never a perfect person. He made many mistakes throughout his career, both on and off the pitch. But he always made sure to learn from his mistakes, do his best to avoid them in the future, and to teach the next generation from his experience. Terry may not have his coaching badges yet, but he is well on his way to being a coach after years of naturally working at it.

His trophy haul is staggering: five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, the Champions League, and the Europa League. That is not to even mention everything he won individually.

Terry was Chelsea’s captain throughout. He was the club’s leader during the best times and the worst times. And he was simply legendary. Few will devout their lives so fully to a club anymore but Terry is that man for Chelsea. Drogba and Lampard may have scored the goals but Terry was the one that pulled them over the line when it seemed impossible.

The Blues are truly missing a player of Terry’s make now. The game is missing it. Terry’s retirement truly marks the end of an era. But where one era ends, another may begin. Chelsea can start looking to produce the next Terry within their academy. Terry can begin his managerial career before (hopefully) returning home to Chelsea.

Terry is bound to be a success at Villa. Even if he is not, he will put his head down and figure out how to be. Terry always found a way to reach that next level despite not being the most naturally skilled player. The captain and leader leaves the playing field a legend so that he may become a legend in the dugout as well.