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The John Terry Appreciation Thread



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Yeah, he confirms it in this interview from 2006: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2006/may/07/newsstory.sport6

 

Another enjoyable read I thought, interesting on how much the public perspective on JT has changed since then.

 

Crazy to think this is the same JT

 

 

And he possesses another asset, the hardest to obtain: he is liked and respected by other players and non-Chelsea supporters.

 

I think the best thing JT's done for his career in recent years was to retire from playing for England. 

It's taken a lot of limelight away from him as a player and whether it's directly linked or something he's actually doing different is that he doesn't appear in newspapers beyond the back pages much anymore. 

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Joel Kitemarike. Forget completely about this one until I saw the article and my mind was unpleasantly jogged back to the days of listening to footie on Capital Gold 1548.

Half of any match was spent with Johnathan Pearce and Tony Gayle oohing and aahing over everything Arsenal.

The Tinker Man driving everyone insane as well.

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CPO evening with John Terry

On the day that John Terry signed an extension to his contract to keep him at the club another season, the Chelsea Pitch Owners hosted an evening with the Blues Captain, a celebration of his career which included a surprisingly candid, extensive interview on stage with former Chelsea player Jason Cundy.

Terry obviously felt comfortable and amongst friends, which he certainly was, and so was surprisingly honest as Cundy skilfully wove him through his career starting at the very beginning when he signed professional papers with the London club. He recalled how when the time came, he had a straight choice between Manchester United and Chelsea.

His father and the majority of his family were United fans but he explained how he had felt at home at Chelsea from the very beginning, despite the chasm between the two clubs in those days. His father did not take his decision well and on the day that Terry was due to sign his papers on the pitch at Stamford Bridge, Ted Terry was shouting demanding to see then manager Glenn Hoddle to try and stop his son signing. JT remembers crying in the tunnel following the row with his father but defying him anyway and signing the papers with his mum by his side. His father is in no photos of the day and the Chelsea Captain said it was a “very quiet drive home”.

He then spoke of his early days at Chelsea – his loan to Forest which he enjoyed but also focussed his mind on the fact that he wanted to play at the highest level. So he trained hard there, but on his days off would return to London to train with Chelsea too. He spoke of the influence that Graeme Rix and Ray Wilkins had on him and later Marcel Desailly and Frank Leboeuf. He explained how he would stay well after training had ended, practicing more with Rix and Wilkins trying to hone his skills, something he says that youngsters these days seem loath to do.

He is still in contact with Marcel Desailly to this day, and said that the former French Chelsea captain gave him advice every day on how to improve and told him not to worry if that meant that Terry usurped Desailly’s own place in the team – that he just had to give it his all and be the best that he could be.

Humble is not a word you would associate with today’s footballers, but that is exactly how Terry came across, especially when asked about how it felt to be considered in the “elite” band of players. He recalled how he never thought he was, how he was awestruck by some of his team mates and how he didn’t feel he could even come close until he was voted POTY by his peers – an honour that remains unrivalled he feels.

Cundy then moved Terry onto the Abramovich era. JT was on a golf course when news broke of the Russian buying the club – the players had been as much in the dark as everyone else but he said that the impact was immediate. Talk of amazing new facilities, expectations of the new owner, major changes etc – exciting times.

Terry then remembers his first meeting with Mourinho. The Special One’s appointment had only just been announced when Jose turned up at the England hotel to speak to the Chelsea players. John Terry said he knew there and then that this man was going to make them winners.

He continued – Mourinho made them fitter physically but more importantly mentally – that when they walked out on that pitch for that first game against United – they did not feel equal to them but superior to them – Jose made them feel like the best players in the world.

Mourinho installed John Terry as his captain and Terry said that he obviously felt proud but more acutely he felt he carried the weight of the fans expectations on his shoulders – he continued, rather than feel pressured by that he thrived on it – that it gave him even more reason to work harder to give his all every time he pulled on the shirt. It also gave him the hope of possibly one day becoming England Captain.

He spoke of the hurt following the exit to PSG, how he felt that Mourinho had prepared them fully but on this occasion it had not been successful and how with hindsight it’s always easy to criticise tactics.

He remembered the exhilaration of scoring against Barca then and possibly still considered the best team in the world with certainly the best player in the world (in his opinion) in Messi.

He told us all of the time he was knocked out in the Cup Final against Arsenal and he woke up in the ambulance and asked the driver to put the radio on so he could find out the score – he then discharging himself from hospital to go and celebrate the with the team. He didn’t get home until 4am where he promptly fell asleep….for three days straight. His wife was so worried that she called the Chelsea physio – who confirmed that he was still alive!!

But the thing that keeps him awake at night is that missed penalty in Moscow. He has never got over it, never will get over it, that he still wakes up three of four times a year thinking about it. Yet he is philosophical about his absence from the Munich final – it was not meant to be that he played he says – but it was meant to be that Chelsea won it.

The interview is then turned back to Mourinho.

JT admits that he and the team were devastated when Mourinho left – that it took them a while, him especially to get over it.

He is especially honest when asked about the other managers he has see come and go – Avram Grant did nothing, changed nothing, Scolari had arguments early on with Drogba and Lampard and lost the dressing room soon after, JT got on well with Ancelotti and Villas Boas but not so Benitez. The Chelsea Captain recalled how he knocked on the Interim Manager’s office door and asked to speak to him about perhaps putting out a statement to diffuse some of the comments he had made in the past about the club and the fans – he told ex-Liverpool boss that he thought it was necessary. Benitez was furious and not only refused but took against Terry from that day onwards. The Spaniard also had a fractious relationship with the rest of the team and their was a sigh of relief when he went and joy on Jose’s return.

Fully relaxed now, JT talked about how losses still affect him – how he just wants to lock himself away. He spoke about how he felt he could not enjoy himself if the team lost – the fans would be hurting and so would he, although he felt it was a bit unfair on his family.

on the subject of his family, John Terry relates an anecdote of being on holiday and getting some “grief” by a couple of Spurs fans, he ignored them but his young daughter was having none of it and proceeded to sing a Stamford Bridge favourite chant which includes lines about Terry winning the double, her twin joined in although the Chelsea Captain claims to have stopped them before the bit about Tottenham winning f**k all again…..

He also shares a story with the audience on team mate Gary Cahill. As many fans know, the players take it in turns in delivering the team talk. For the Southampton game, the team were prepped and focussed – they looked to Cahill expectantly who blanched and blurted out “oh f**k, I’ve forgotten what I was going to say”

Much laughter….but then the serious and final question….are we going to win the league. He diplomatically says that the international break will serve the team well for the run in. He smiles a knowing smile but will not say it out loud.

The interview ends to a standing ovation but John Terry isn’t whisked away by some faceless Chelsea PR guy. Instead he stays until every one of the 250 people in that room have the picture or autograph they want – making every one of those fans, including me, feel important – as we matter.

Terry is from the old school who cleaned toilets and boots as an apprentice – worked hard, learnt from his peers and it shows. We should appreciate him and players like him as in these days of multi million pound deals for 14 year olds we won’t see many of their like again. Our captain, our leader, our legend.

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CPO evening with John Terry

On the day that John Terry signed an extension to his contract to keep him at the club another season, the Chelsea Pitch Owners hosted an evening with the Blues Captain, a celebration of his career which included a surprisingly candid, extensive interview on stage with former Chelsea player Jason Cundy.

Terry obviously felt comfortable and amongst friends, which he certainly was, and so was surprisingly honest as Cundy skilfully wove him through his career starting at the very beginning when he signed professional papers with the London club. He recalled how when the time came, he had a straight choice between Manchester United and Chelsea.

His father and the majority of his family were United fans but he explained how he had felt at home at Chelsea from the very beginning, despite the chasm between the two clubs in those days. His father did not take his decision well and on the day that Terry was due to sign his papers on the pitch at Stamford Bridge, Ted Terry was shouting demanding to see then manager Glenn Hoddle to try and stop his son signing. JT remembers crying in the tunnel following the row with his father but defying him anyway and signing the papers with his mum by his side. His father is in no photos of the day and the Chelsea Captain said it was a “very quiet drive home”.

He then spoke of his early days at Chelsea – his loan to Forest which he enjoyed but also focussed his mind on the fact that he wanted to play at the highest level. So he trained hard there, but on his days off would return to London to train with Chelsea too. He spoke of the influence that Graeme Rix and Ray Wilkins had on him and later Marcel Desailly and Frank Leboeuf. He explained how he would stay well after training had ended, practicing more with Rix and Wilkins trying to hone his skills, something he says that youngsters these days seem loath to do.

He is still in contact with Marcel Desailly to this day, and said that the former French Chelsea captain gave him advice every day on how to improve and told him not to worry if that meant that Terry usurped Desailly’s own place in the team – that he just had to give it his all and be the best that he could be.

Humble is not a word you would associate with today’s footballers, but that is exactly how Terry came across, especially when asked about how it felt to be considered in the “elite” band of players. He recalled how he never thought he was, how he was awestruck by some of his team mates and how he didn’t feel he could even come close until he was voted POTY by his peers – an honour that remains unrivalled he feels.

Cundy then moved Terry onto the Abramovich era. JT was on a golf course when news broke of the Russian buying the club – the players had been as much in the dark as everyone else but he said that the impact was immediate. Talk of amazing new facilities, expectations of the new owner, major changes etc – exciting times.

Terry then remembers his first meeting with Mourinho. The Special One’s appointment had only just been announced when Jose turned up at the England hotel to speak to the Chelsea players. John Terry said he knew there and then that this man was going to make them winners.

He continued – Mourinho made them fitter physically but more importantly mentally – that when they walked out on that pitch for that first game against United – they did not feel equal to them but superior to them – Jose made them feel like the best players in the world.

Mourinho installed John Terry as his captain and Terry said that he obviously felt proud but more acutely he felt he carried the weight of the fans expectations on his shoulders – he continued, rather than feel pressured by that he thrived on it – that it gave him even more reason to work harder to give his all every time he pulled on the shirt. It also gave him the hope of possibly one day becoming England Captain.

He spoke of the hurt following the exit to PSG, how he felt that Mourinho had prepared them fully but on this occasion it had not been successful and how with hindsight it’s always easy to criticise tactics.

He remembered the exhilaration of scoring against Barca then and possibly still considered the best team in the world with certainly the best player in the world (in his opinion) in Messi.

He told us all of the time he was knocked out in the Cup Final against Arsenal and he woke up in the ambulance and asked the driver to put the radio on so he could find out the score – he then discharging himself from hospital to go and celebrate the with the team. He didn’t get home until 4am where he promptly fell asleep….for three days straight. His wife was so worried that she called the Chelsea physio – who confirmed that he was still alive!!

But the thing that keeps him awake at night is that missed penalty in Moscow. He has never got over it, never will get over it, that he still wakes up three of four times a year thinking about it. Yet he is philosophical about his absence from the Munich final – it was not meant to be that he played he says – but it was meant to be that Chelsea won it.

The interview is then turned back to Mourinho.

JT admits that he and the team were devastated when Mourinho left – that it took them a while, him especially to get over it.

He is especially honest when asked about the other managers he has see come and go – Avram Grant did nothing, changed nothing, Scolari had arguments early on with Drogba and Lampard and lost the dressing room soon after, JT got on well with Ancelotti and Villas Boas but not so Benitez. The Chelsea Captain recalled how he knocked on the Interim Manager’s office door and asked to speak to him about perhaps putting out a statement to diffuse some of the comments he had made in the past about the club and the fans – he told ex-Liverpool boss that he thought it was necessary. Benitez was furious and not only refused but took against Terry from that day onwards. The Spaniard also had a fractious relationship with the rest of the team and their was a sigh of relief when he went and joy on Jose’s return.

Fully relaxed now, JT talked about how losses still affect him – how he just wants to lock himself away. He spoke about how he felt he could not enjoy himself if the team lost – the fans would be hurting and so would he, although he felt it was a bit unfair on his family.

on the subject of his family, John Terry relates an anecdote of being on holiday and getting some “grief” by a couple of Spurs fans, he ignored them but his young daughter was having none of it and proceeded to sing a Stamford Bridge favourite chant which includes lines about Terry winning the double, her twin joined in although the Chelsea Captain claims to have stopped them before the bit about Tottenham winning f**k all again…..

He also shares a story with the audience on team mate Gary Cahill. As many fans know, the players take it in turns in delivering the team talk. For the Southampton game, the team were prepped and focussed – they looked to Cahill expectantly who blanched and blurted out “oh f**k, I’ve forgotten what I was going to say”

Much laughter….but then the serious and final question….are we going to win the league. He diplomatically says that the international break will serve the team well for the run in. He smiles a knowing smile but will not say it out loud.

The interview ends to a standing ovation but John Terry isn’t whisked away by some faceless Chelsea PR guy. Instead he stays until every one of the 250 people in that room have the picture or autograph they want – making every one of those fans, including me, feel important – as we matter.

Terry is from the old school who cleaned toilets and boots as an apprentice – worked hard, learnt from his peers and it shows. We should appreciate him and players like him as in these days of multi million pound deals for 14 year olds we won’t see many of their like again. Our captain, our leader, our legend.

::clap2::

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^ That's a great read.

Yes. Brilliant stuff. Great to see the video clip. Thanks for posting.

The Benitez stuff was fascinating and so revealing. Brilliant of JT to try to get him to build bridges after his disparaging comments over the years. So typical of the FSW to refuse.Yes, we'd still have hated him, but the fact that he wasn't willing to even try to repair the damage shows we've been so right about the tosser all these years. And they fact that he then made it personal towards JT and marginalised him shows him to be a total w**ker as well as a sh*t manager.

Edited by Backbiter
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CPO evening with John Terry

On the day that John Terry signed an extension to his contract to keep him at the club another season, the Chelsea Pitch Owners hosted an evening with the Blues Captain, a celebration of his career which included a surprisingly candid, extensive interview on stage with former Chelsea player Jason Cundy.

Terry obviously felt comfortable and amongst friends, which he certainly was, and so was surprisingly honest as Cundy skilfully wove him through his career starting at the very beginning when he signed professional papers with the London club. He recalled how when the time came, he had a straight choice between Manchester United and Chelsea.

His father and the majority of his family were United fans but he explained how he had felt at home at Chelsea from the very beginning, despite the chasm between the two clubs in those days. His father did not take his decision well and on the day that Terry was due to sign his papers on the pitch at Stamford Bridge, Ted Terry was shouting demanding to see then manager Glenn Hoddle to try and stop his son signing. JT remembers crying in the tunnel following the row with his father but defying him anyway and signing the papers with his mum by his side. His father is in no photos of the day and the Chelsea Captain said it was a “very quiet drive home”.

He then spoke of his early days at Chelsea – his loan to Forest which he enjoyed but also focussed his mind on the fact that he wanted to play at the highest level. So he trained hard there, but on his days off would return to London to train with Chelsea too. He spoke of the influence that Graeme Rix and Ray Wilkins had on him and later Marcel Desailly and Frank Leboeuf. He explained how he would stay well after training had ended, practicing more with Rix and Wilkins trying to hone his skills, something he says that youngsters these days seem loath to do.

He is still in contact with Marcel Desailly to this day, and said that the former French Chelsea captain gave him advice every day on how to improve and told him not to worry if that meant that Terry usurped Desailly’s own place in the team – that he just had to give it his all and be the best that he could be.

Humble is not a word you would associate with today’s footballers, but that is exactly how Terry came across, especially when asked about how it felt to be considered in the “elite” band of players. He recalled how he never thought he was, how he was awestruck by some of his team mates and how he didn’t feel he could even come close until he was voted POTY by his peers – an honour that remains unrivalled he feels.

Cundy then moved Terry onto the Abramovich era. JT was on a golf course when news broke of the Russian buying the club – the players had been as much in the dark as everyone else but he said that the impact was immediate. Talk of amazing new facilities, expectations of the new owner, major changes etc – exciting times.

Terry then remembers his first meeting with Mourinho. The Special One’s appointment had only just been announced when Jose turned up at the England hotel to speak to the Chelsea players. John Terry said he knew there and then that this man was going to make them winners.

He continued – Mourinho made them fitter physically but more importantly mentally – that when they walked out on that pitch for that first game against United – they did not feel equal to them but superior to them – Jose made them feel like the best players in the world.

Mourinho installed John Terry as his captain and Terry said that he obviously felt proud but more acutely he felt he carried the weight of the fans expectations on his shoulders – he continued, rather than feel pressured by that he thrived on it – that it gave him even more reason to work harder to give his all every time he pulled on the shirt. It also gave him the hope of possibly one day becoming England Captain.

He spoke of the hurt following the exit to PSG, how he felt that Mourinho had prepared them fully but on this occasion it had not been successful and how with hindsight it’s always easy to criticise tactics.

He remembered the exhilaration of scoring against Barca then and possibly still considered the best team in the world with certainly the best player in the world (in his opinion) in Messi.

He told us all of the time he was knocked out in the Cup Final against Arsenal and he woke up in the ambulance and asked the driver to put the radio on so he could find out the score – he then discharging himself from hospital to go and celebrate the with the team. He didn’t get home until 4am where he promptly fell asleep….for three days straight. His wife was so worried that she called the Chelsea physio – who confirmed that he was still alive!!

But the thing that keeps him awake at night is that missed penalty in Moscow. He has never got over it, never will get over it, that he still wakes up three of four times a year thinking about it. Yet he is philosophical about his absence from the Munich final – it was not meant to be that he played he says – but it was meant to be that Chelsea won it.

The interview is then turned back to Mourinho.

JT admits that he and the team were devastated when Mourinho left – that it took them a while, him especially to get over it.

He is especially honest when asked about the other managers he has see come and go – Avram Grant did nothing, changed nothing, Scolari had arguments early on with Drogba and Lampard and lost the dressing room soon after, JT got on well with Ancelotti and Villas Boas but not so Benitez. The Chelsea Captain recalled how he knocked on the Interim Manager’s office door and asked to speak to him about perhaps putting out a statement to diffuse some of the comments he had made in the past about the club and the fans – he told ex-Liverpool boss that he thought it was necessary. Benitez was furious and not only refused but took against Terry from that day onwards. The Spaniard also had a fractious relationship with the rest of the team and their was a sigh of relief when he went and joy on Jose’s return.

Fully relaxed now, JT talked about how losses still affect him – how he just wants to lock himself away. He spoke about how he felt he could not enjoy himself if the team lost – the fans would be hurting and so would he, although he felt it was a bit unfair on his family.

on the subject of his family, John Terry relates an anecdote of being on holiday and getting some “grief” by a couple of Spurs fans, he ignored them but his young daughter was having none of it and proceeded to sing a Stamford Bridge favourite chant which includes lines about Terry winning the double, her twin joined in although the Chelsea Captain claims to have stopped them before the bit about Tottenham winning f**k all again…..

He also shares a story with the audience on team mate Gary Cahill. As many fans know, the players take it in turns in delivering the team talk. For the Southampton game, the team were prepped and focussed – they looked to Cahill expectantly who blanched and blurted out “oh f**k, I’ve forgotten what I was going to say”

Much laughter….but then the serious and final question….are we going to win the league. He diplomatically says that the international break will serve the team well for the run in. He smiles a knowing smile but will not say it out loud.

The interview ends to a standing ovation but John Terry isn’t whisked away by some faceless Chelsea PR guy. Instead he stays until every one of the 250 people in that room have the picture or autograph they want – making every one of those fans, including me, feel important – as we matter.

Terry is from the old school who cleaned toilets and boots as an apprentice – worked hard, learnt from his peers and it shows. We should appreciate him and players like him as in these days of multi million pound deals for 14 year olds we won’t see many of their like again. Our captain, our leader, our legend.

Great stuff, and the video brought a lump to my throat !  :blush2:

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