John Terry: The PLs greatest defender

Jose Mourinho said it best. Asked earlier this month to sum up the scale of
John Terry’s contribution to
Chelsea’s first Premier League title triumph in five years, the Portuguese’s response was candid and concise.

I think he knows that, without me, he probably wouldnt be at Chelsea in this moment, Mourinho insisted, adding: But I also know that, probably without him, I would not be again Premier League champion.

True appreciation of Terry’s remarkable resurgence has been slow to gain consensus, not least because it is understandably difficult to garner wider praise for anything he does. The toxic legacy of the Anton Ferdinand racism row will forever linger in the public consciousness, yet it is telling that Antons brother Rio retains the ability to separate the footballer from the man.

“Just because we no longer get on does not mean I’ve lost my admiration for him as a footballer,” Ferdinand wrote in his column for The Sun. “His performances for Chelsea this season have been nothing short of outstanding and I’m not afraid to say it.”

OFF THE MARK | Terry celebrates his goal against Gillingham in the 2000 FA Cup (Getty)

LOYAL | Terry kisses the Chelsea badge after scoring against Arsenal at Highbury in 2004 (Getty)


BETTER DAYS | Ferdinand recently praised Terry despite their very public falling out (Getty)

Others are following suit, prompted in no small part by the realisation borne out of a barbed retort from Terry towards Rafa Benitez amid the final whistle euphoria of victory over Crystal Palace.

Benitez had concluded in late 2012 that Chelsea’s captain was no longer physically capable of playing two matches in a week. Terry has quashed that assessment in emphatic fashion, making 47 appearances in Mourinho’s first season back at Stamford Bridge and this term becoming only the second outfielder to play every minute for a Premier League title-winning team. Gary Pallister achieved the same feat over a 42-game format in 1992-93, but he was seven years Terry’s junior at the time.

As much as he might not appreciate the constant reminders, Terry’s age is crucial to fully understanding his accomplishments over the last two years. For even a great Premier League centre-back to remain this dominant and durable at 34 is virtually unheard of.