After John Terry’s retirement from international football in 2012, no one ever imagined they’d see the Chelsea captain wearing an England shirt again. After all, he isn’t getting any younger.
Stripped of the Three Lions captaincy on two occasions, Terry had decided that enough was enough, quit the international stage and described his position in the national side as ‘untenable’.
Fast-forward four years later and you find an England side down in the dumps, with a new manager in Sam Allardyce, desperate to dig the team out of the shame which comes from losing a Euro round of 16 match to Iceland.
Just how they contrived to lose that match is anyone’s guess, but the new matter at hand is Allardyce’s team selection ahead of the international break. Surprisingly – or not so surprisingly given the aforementioned shame – the new boss has refused to rule out giving Terry a call with a view to bring him back in the fold.
Big Sam isn’t isn’t just clutching straws here. At 35, Terry remains one of the best defenders in England, and the experience gained from playing so many years at top level could be invaluable to the new crop of players in the England set-up.
Would this be a good move for Terry?
Sure, it would be sweet retribution for John Terry against the same FA who sacked him previously. And with 78 caps to his name, he could get closer to joining England’s 100 club, like former teammates Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole.
Terry certainly isn’t one of the fastest defenders around, and even in his prime, he was never known for having any sort of pace in him. In the England side, much like at Chelsea, he wouldn’t have to worry about that aspect of the game, with youngsters like as Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, and John Stones around to provide cover if he ever needed.
So maybe it would prove a good move for the Blues skipper, yet there are other things to consider. Like I said before, Terry isn’t getting any younger, and his body might not be able to withstand the strain of playing for both Chelsea and England.
He has hardly put a foot wrong this season and looks the same Terry who won the Premier League title just over a year ago. Now, why would anyone want to mess that up by playing for a country which - dare I say – won’t be winning anything anytime soon?
Media Pressure
There’s also the stress which would be placed on him by the media. Ever since Terry’s retirement, he has hardly been thrust into the spotlight, and he should be enjoying the privilege right now. Rejoining the England set-up would only serve to place him back under the microscope, and the unwanted attention could affect his game both for England and for Chelsea.
Chelsea fans won’t love reading this, but all of them know that this season could be Terry’s last at Stamford Bridge. He had to force the board to hand him a new contract by going to the media and sparking a frenzy among supporters with the revelation of the absence of renewal talks between himself and the club.
He did win that particular battle, but not before accepting a lesser role in the side. Exactly what that lesser role is, we have yet to see as things look pretty normal at the back for Chelsea.
Place in Chelsea side looks uncertain
Yet with Kurt Zouma edging closer to a return and Antonio Conte still in the hunt for a new central defender, Terry could soon find himself on the fringes. At the risk of sounding like an Italian manager – for this reason, the captain cannot afford to lose focus.
Terry’s performances for Chelsea must continue to be near flawless, or he could easily lose his place in the side. If Zouma hadn’t suffered that terrible knee injury, it’s quite possible that Terry wouldn’t have received the one-year extension.
The young Frenchman certainly seems Chelsea’s future and has proven to be a solid defender ever since Mourinho thrust him into the side. His return could possibly mark the beginning of that ‘lesser role’ for the skipper, but Conte seems to trust his captain and looks to have already forged a great relationship with him.
The Italian manager has left the deciding to Terry and Allardyce. Yet you do sense that if it was all left to him, the defender would be staying put.
If Allardyce really does call, a polite “No” would be Terry’s best bet.
