Listen...
The final act of this bizarre season was John Terry, in partial kit, walking out to the center of the pitch at Stamford Bridge and giving a four-minute speech about this season, next season, and the next few days. Emotions ran high, reminding of Frank Lampard's and Ashley Cole's final lap of honor back in 2014.
There were the standard things one says on such occasions. Thank you, the fans. Thank you, the manager. Thank you, players, especially the young ones who are trying to displace the golden oldies in the team who might be hanging on beyond their use-by date. He didn't quite say it like that of course.
JT believes he can still play at the top level and he wants that top level to be Chelsea. You might disagree, the decision-makers at the club might disagree, but Terry wants to stay and wants you to want him to stay. And he wants the club to want him to stay. He probably wants the club to want him to stay on his own terms. Or, who knows. That we've had to resort to this sort of theater to try to resolve this situation is unfortunate, but goodbyes are never easy.
The camera cuts to Abramovich at one point and he's clapping and laughing along. What does that all mean?
For what it's worth, some reports have emerged that Terry has accepted whatever the 'different role' is that Chelsea offered.
Unconfirmed, but word from John Terry's camp is that he has decided to reject the huge money on offer in China to stay at Chelsea. #CFC
— Duncan Castles (@DuncanCastles) May 15, 2016
Has JT really played his final match for Chelsea? Is his big farewell bash at the Bridge still set to go ahead (bizarrely, without any fans in attendance?). Is this the silliest goodbye in a long list of silly goodbyes in recent seasons? Your guess is as good as mine.