Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: John Terry, Aston Villa, Chelsea, England, Football
Marcus Chan
England and Chelsea legend John Terry has revealed that he has been left frustrated at the lack of opportunities to become a manager.
During a career that spanned 20 years, Terry played for Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa.
The 44-year-old lifted five Premier League titles, four FA Cups and one Champions League among other trophies.
On the international stage, Terry played 78 times for England, scoring six goals and was also the captain.
Advert
After retiring in 2018, Terry moved into coaching as he was named the assistant head coach of Villa, working under then-manager Dean Smith.
The Englishman left Villa in 2021 before reuniting with Smith at Leicester City back in April 2023.
In July 2023, he returned to Chelsea as an academy coach.
However, speaking recently, Terry spoke about his struggles of landing a managerial job, despite his impressive CV as a player.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Terry declared his dream of managing Chelsea, but admitted that it would probably never happen.
He said: "I'm not sure it ever happens, to be honest. It's my one last dream I have at the football club. I've done everything at Chelsea. And for me now, the one thing that is missing is being the manager of the football club.
"That's why I went into coaching when I finished playing. My idea and dream was to learn my trade a bit. As a player, you retire after 22 years… Listen, 100 per cent, you learn enough to go into management.
"The level I played at and the managers I played under. But it doesn't give you the right you go into management at a certain level. You still have to learn and understand what it takes."
Terry continued: "There's a lot more that goes into the coaching side of it. So I went away and learnt my trade, I had some unbelievable times at Villa, I left Villa to be a number one, I thought I was ready. I think I'd be a really good number one, I enjoyed the coaching side of it.
"I want people around me that are better coaches than me. Then I could lead the dressing room and the team like I did [as a player]. That's what I did for 22 years at the club. I know I'd be good at it. Will I ever get the chance? I'm not sure, without doing the other bits. But when people tell you you've not got the experience, it's difficult to fathom."
Terry went on to say that he thought his experience of coaching in the Premier League and his elite playing career would be enough to land him a job, but that hasn't worked out.
He added: "I'm not saying a job in the Premier League or the Championship - but a job at League One level.
"I didn't even get a sniff. I had interviews and it was just "you have no experience". When I see some people managing today, it baffles me, it really does.
"In terms of 'am I frustrated', yes, absolutely, because I have a lot of good attributes to be a really good coach or a really good manager but, unfortunately, that's not happened."