John Terry - Gone

[chrisw1]

Percy from the Telegraph reporting about Terry playing for us next season if we get promoted could also be with the stipulation that he doesn't have to play against Chelsea.

I've been really impressed with his conduct on and off the pitch but that request is ridiculous. He's not on-loan from his beloved Blues and we don't pay him £60k+ a week (50% more if we go up?) to dictate a term like that. What if we need a draw at Stamford Bridge on the last day of the season and he decides to have a hard-on in the Matthew Harding stand?

My guess would be this is just speculation.  I imagine he would enjoy the ovation he would get if he went back to Stamford Bridge.

[Risso]

Percy from the Telegraph reporting about Terry playing for us next season if we get promoted could also be with the stipulation that he doesn't have to play against Chelsea.

I've been really impressed with his conduct on and off the pitch but that request is ridiculous. He's not on-loan from his beloved Blues and we don't pay him £60k+ a week (50% more if we go up?) to dictate a term like that. What if we need a draw at Stamford Bridge on the last day of the season and he decides to have a hard-on in the Matthew Harding stand?

Exactly.  As good as he's been, that would be a deal breaker for me.  I'm sure he'd get a hero's reception going back there anyway, so hopefully it's bollocks.  Not sure I can think of any other examples of players refusing to play against their old team, probably because it is so daft.

[john e]

Percy from the Telegraph reporting about Terry playing for us next season if we get promoted could also be with the stipulation that he doesn't have to play against Chelsea.

I've been really impressed with his conduct on and off the pitch but that request is ridiculous. He's not on-loan from his beloved Blues and we don't pay him £60k+ a week (50% more if we go up?) to dictate a term like that. What if we need a draw at Stamford Bridge on the last day of the season and he decides to have a hard-on in the Matthew Harding stand?

I wouldn’t have a big problem with that

and I was one who wasn’t happy when we first signed him

[mr underhill]

all media bullshit.

[eamonn]

Hopefully but he's a good journalist and there is a casual quote from Bruce:  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/05/23/john-terry-could-extend-aston-villa-stay-deal-allows-miss-chelsea/amp/

[chrisw1]

Hopefully but he's a good journalist and there is a casual quote from Bruce:  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/05/23/john-terry-could-extend-aston-villa-stay-deal-allows-miss-chelsea/amp/

Even if it's not bullshit I would live with it.  If we go up his experience and influence over refs could be key to staying up.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Is there a precedent for this? I can’t think of any other player making such a demand?  Maybe we should let him wear his Chelsea kit when we play them.

[PeterWithesShin]

The second you let a player dictate when he plays then you're leaving yourself open to future requests, piss taking etc. I've made my views on him plain but the same would apply if we were going to sign Messi and he didn't want to play against a certain side. Be available to play every game Aston Villa play or be available for none.

[Toronto Villa]

The second you let a player dictate when he plays then you're leaving yourself open to future requests, piss taking etc. I've made my views on him plain but the same would apply if we were going to sign Messi and he didn't want to play against a certain side. Be available to play every game Aston Villa play or be available for none.

Not that I really care one way or another but we’re not likely to have any player who is decorated in his achievements as Terry is for a while. If a “lesser” player made the demand you’d probably tell him to go pound sand, but in the grand scheme of things is it really a big deal in this instance? Your overall point is valid.

[PeterWithesShin]

To me it is, no player should ever dictate when he plays or who he does or doesn't play against. I couldn't care less how many medals a player has won. He's not even the best defender at the club so why the smeg should he decide when he plays. It's an honour for him to play for Aston Villa, not the other way round.

[boozey182]

I'm sure this must be made up. No professional player would have the arrogance to make such a request and no self-respecting club would consider it for a second. Percy has a decent track record, but he must have the wrong end of the stick here. It's a ridiculous concept.

[Lastfootstamper]

My reading of the piece is that Terry's not said anything, and it's an assumption about a possibility by our manager based on the former's original reasons for dropping down a division. I'm not going to get worked up about anything yet.

I think he'd get shown up in the PL, anyway.

[john e]

The second you let a player dictate when he plays then you're leaving yourself open to future requests, piss taking etc. I've made my views on him plain but the same would apply if we were going to sign Messi and he didn't want to play against a certain side. Be available to play every game Aston Villa play or be available for none.

I think I could definitely find some new principles if it was Messi

[chrisw1]

To me it is, no player should ever dictate when he plays or who he does or doesn't play against. I couldn't care less how many medals a player has won. He's not even the best defender at the club so why the smeg should he decide when he plays. It's an honour for him to play for Aston Villa, not the other way round.

I completely agree.  But 1 - I reckon it's probably bullshit.  2 - If it isn't the benefits in this particular instance probably outweigh the downside.

[Bad English]

No professional player would have the arrogance to make such a request

Who would have thought that a professional player who was suspended for a European final would don his kit and join in with the celebrations on the pitch with  his team-mates?