John Terry makes major Chelsea Premier League title prediction with Mauricio Pochettino verdict
John Terry is a man who knows what it takes to inspire Chelsea to glory.
More than 700 games, 15 trophies and 11 managers means the former captain has probably forgotten more about the club than most people will ever learn. When you think about Chelsea in the Premier League era, Terry is likely the first name that springs to mind.
Having returned to the club as an academy coach in the summer, the 42-year-old is now inspiring the next generation on their paths to, hopefully, also becoming revered figures at Stamford Bridge. Terry witnessed the worst and the best Chelsea managers of the past two decades - so is in a fair position to scrutinise the current man in the hot seat.
From the glory days of Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti to the car crash that was Andre Villas-Boas, Terry saw it all. Even at international level, the ex-defender worked under the mixed bag of Sven Goran-Eriksson, Steve McClaren, Fabio Capello and Roy Hodgson.
That is why his seal of approval for Mauricio Pochettino carries weight. At a live event over the weekend, Terry promised Chelsea fans that the new Blues boss has the credentials to be a success in West London.
“I love Poch,” Terry said. “I’ve been around him and I promise you now he is a top, top manager and he will get us to the levels we need to be at.”
Admittedly, the Argentine has endured a shaky start. Like Graham Potter and Frank Lampard before him, Pochettino is finding it difficult amid the hectic environment Chelsea has become under Todd Boehly.
Two defeats and just one win from his opening four games is not the return on investment Boehly would have hoped for heading into the first international break. But with Pochettino, at least he knows there is a manager who has previously handled the heat.
Paris Saint-Germain is one of the most volatile clubs in world football as managing Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe would hardly have been an easy feat. Throw in the rotten injury luck, with Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia yet to make their debuts, proves it has hardly been plain sailing for Pochettino.
Terry was around the last time a seismic shift took place at Stamford Bridge when Roman Abramovich gatecrashed the Premier League and changed its course forever. A key component of the Blues’ success, everyone listened when the former captain spoke. It is Boehly who can now use Terry’s words as comfort should he start questioning another managerial appointment.
