Source: Telegraph
Now is not the time for John Terry to forsake Chelsea for Manchester City
He has responsibilities that – for good and, undoubtedly also, bad – go way beyond those normally expected of a player at a Premier League football club.
The 28-year-old was referred to last week by Carlo Ancelotti as a 'symbol' for Chelsea with the Italian, cleverly, likening his influence to that of Paolo Maldini at AC Milan.
Rarefied company to keep for any player. But then comparing Milan to Chelsea is a false exercise even if there are undoubted similarities in the ownership structure of both clubs.
After all Ancelotti spent eight seasons as coach of Milan. Silvio Berlusconi may be demanding, colourful, outspoken – but he's not knee-jerk.
The turnover of managers at Chelsea has been embarrassing and frequent under Roman Abramovich.
As the man he has now appointed to fulfil his ambitions at Stamford Bridge prepares for the club's pre-season tour to the United States, which starts tomorrow, he is the sixth manager to be employed by Abramovich in six years.
It has meant that Terry has taken on more importance. He is not only captain but also homegrown. The one and only Chelsea player to come through the ranks. He is English, too, and captains his country. And finally he plays in that position that is also the traditional rallying point for a football team: central defence.
Often referred to as 'Mr Chelsea', he is pretty much that. 'Mr Continuity' may be another name. Amid all the madness at Chelsea, there's always been JT to help keep the faith.
Few – if any – clubs have a player in a similar role. The closest, perhaps, is Steven Gerrard at Liverpool but Rafael Benitez has as powerbase that is far greater than Ancelotti or his predecessors, Jose Mourinho included, despite what people though at the time, enjoy. After all Benitez hasn't flinched from leaving Gerrard out or playing him in a position he hasn't enjoyed.
Not that things are ideal for Terry. It's becoming increasingly apparent that he has been unsettled for some time. Reading between the lines – and sometimes not much of that is needed – of what he has said over the past few months and it's clear that he is frustrated even if he has also performed admirably in helping hold it all together.
Undoubtedly City is a temptation – although does he really want the upheaval and emotional drain of it all especially in a year that culminates in a World Cup? – and the money alone is extraordinary even if he is already enjoying extraordinary wages at Chelsea.
The comments by City manager Mark Hughes asking whether Terry needs a new challenge, implying he may have become a little stale at Chelsea may also be true – and surely they are informed? – but he has three years left on a five-year deal that is earning him £130,000-a-week and has talked, openly, about wanting to finish his career at Stamford Bridge.
Maybe he simply needs to step back and realise that, as he has enjoyed and – undoubtedly – earned the trappings of captaincy he also has to accept the responsibilities.
And that means backing the team and the supporters who have backed you. Terry has put his body on the line for Chelsea. He needs to do it again and show the supporters that it's not time to cut and run. He is their captain and needs to lead by example as he has done before.
