Chelsea legend and current free agent John Terry has plenty of free time on his hands these days.
He’s not officially retired (as he confirmed a couple weeks ago), but he has been without a club since leaving Aston Villa at the end of the season. Villa bet big on a promotion push but had to dial it back once that failed at the final hurdle.
What’s next for the 37-year-old? He says he’s weighing up “ALL” his options. Might we suggest social media consultant?
In the wake of Chelsea signing Kepa Arrizabalaga to replace persona non grata Thibaut Courtois, JT posted easily to best reaction on his Instagram story. Here’s a screenshot, courtesy of our friends at the London is Blue Podcast.
John Terry is a legend and has a strong Instagram game. pic.twitter.com/F67Ht2cg1B
— London Is Blue Podcast (@LondonBluePod) August 8, 2018
JT’s referring to the time in October 2006 when he had to jump in goal after both Petr Čech and Carlo Cudicini suffered serious head injuries against Reading.
Terry’s appearance in goal has often been lampooned in the decade since, but this is probably the funniest thing to come out of a match that was rough, nasty, and actually no laughing matter, with the newly promoted hosts looking to rattle the defending champions. Čech’s “collision” with Stephen “eager to make his point” Hunt’s knee could’ve killed him. That was barely 15 seconds into the game and tempers only flared from there. Both sides had a man sent off (including Mikel on his first ever Premier League start), and somebody on the Chelsea bench got sent off, too. Carlo Cudicini was then (literally) knocked out in stoppage time, which necessitated a ten-minute treatment including a neck brace and oxygen, and John Terry, wearing third goalkeeper Hilário’s No.40 shirt, to play out the remaining minutes.
All’s well that ends well of course. Čech returned to action in January and continues to play to this day with the protective and iconic headgear. Cudicini was back in action a month later, though was no able to win his spot back from Hilário.
And John Terry added to his legend by jumping in goal and preserving a hard-fought clean sheet, a meme of which now wins the day on a much more lighthearted occasion.