John Terry is on track to become a victim of his own success. When he left Chelsea, after a 717-game career that was saturated in success, and signed with Championship club Aston Villa he vowed “I didn’t want to play against Chelsea, that didn’t feel right at all.”
Fact is, he’s too good for his own good. After leading Chelsea to 17 trophies, Terry is now working his magic in the Midlands and putting himself on a collision course to violate his vow.
Let’s review.
Fact #1
Aston Villa are firmly in the playoffs for promotion to the Premier League. They’re only four points and a hot streak off of automatic promotion, with four two matches left to play.
Fact #2
When healthy, John Terry has been a regular starter alongside James Chester in the back four. He missed half of November and all of December with a broken metatarsal (a bone in his foot) but has still started 31 matches for the The Villa.
Fact #3
They like him. Terry is 37 years old and will be 38 midway through next season. He never had much pace and has less now. But his leadership is as peerless as is his sense of positioning and Aston Villa’s Director of Football, Steve Round, has already said they want him back.
Fact #4
John Terry loves Aston Villa. Not as much as he loves Chelsea, but he told talkSPORT that he’s sure he made the right decision to join them.
“Chelsea will always be my club for sure but since I have been at Aston Villa, I have given my all and the fans have been superb with me. They have welcomed me with open arms and I like to think I have given back on the pitch and on the training field.
”It has been a good combination and worked well for both, I feel. It’s been an incredible journey so far. It is one I have thoroughly enjoyed. I certainly the made the right decision in the summer
”I have really enjoyed it - they are a great bunch of lads, the manager has been superb with me, and the fans as well have been excellent.
”This football club deserves to be in the Premier League - the support it has got, how big it is, the players, everyone deserves it. It is huge. The travelling support is incredible. We are equipped to go up. We need a little bit of luck and hopefully we will get that.”
Fact #5
Here’s where it gets tough. Despite his age, Terry isn’t done. He may be a Pensioner in his heart, and a true pensioner in football terms, but his competitive fire burns as hot as it ever did.
”I still have the appetite and hunger for sure. I just want to get this season finished.”
“My aim at the start of the season was to get us up, whether that was automatic or via the play-offs. One last push and hopefully we can go out with a bang and make it an easy decision at the end.”
-John Terry; source: talkSport
When Frank Lampard ended his career at Chelsea and joined Major League Soccer’s NYCFC, he thought the Atlantic Ocean was a big enough barrier to him ever having to face his old team again. He was wrong. City Football Group dragged him back to England, shoved him into a sky blue shirt and put him out against his old club. Naturally, he scored a goal.
Now here’s John Terry, thinking he had safe harbor in the Championship and would never play against the Blues. Alas, even in their dotage these legends are/were just too good. Terry has helped Villa towards promotion, they love him, he loves them, and he still wants to play. The maths are simple. 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = a potentially painful 4.
But who are we to root against one last success story for Captain, Leader, Legend?