Chelsea captain John Terry to quit the Blues at the end of the season

The Blues skipper has been at the club for his entire career, but will not have his contract renwed when it runs out at the end of June 

Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley

                 John Terry applauds fans after the game

John Terry has confirmed that he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season.
The Blues’ skipper’s current deal runs into the end of June, but the club have decided not to offer him a renewal.

The defender is now preparing to continue his career abroad, with Major League Soccer a likely destination for the former England captain.

Speaking after the 5-1 win over MK Dons, Terry said: "To be honest, I was in last week before the Arsenal game and it’s not going to be extended.

"It’s my last run in the FA Cup so I want to make it a good one. It’s a big season for me and I want to push on - not just in this competition but in the Premier League as well. I knew before the Arsenal game so mentally I’ve kind of accepted it. We just have to move on.

"They said that when the new manager comes in, things might change. It’s a no at the minute. I needed to know now like I have done every January and sometimes it takes a couple of months to get done.

Unfortunately it was a no. It’s not going to be a fairytale ending, I’m not going to retire at Chelsea. It’s going
 to be elsewhere which it took me a couple of days to get over.

Read Also:John Terry: Chelsea defender to leave stamford bridge.

John Terry - career honours

4

Premier League

5

FA Cup

3

League Cup

2

Community Shield

1

Champions League

1

Europa League

"But like I say, I knew before the Arsenal game and my performance isn’t going to change - the way I train, what I give for the club. I want to give everything and finish on a high, on 100 per cent good terms with the club.

"We spoke about my legacy and coming back to the club when I finish. The most important thing now is to get us up the league."

When asked about the reasoning, Terry added: "No, we didn’t get into it. I didn’t feel as though I was playing great in the first four or five games of the season, like everyone in the team, and the performances showed that. But since then myself and everyone else has picked up back to where we are. All I can do is keep my head down and plug on because it’ll be my last year at the club."

He continued: "The club will move on. No player is ever bigger than the club. Ideally I would have loved to stay, but the club’s moving in a different direction. No doubt they’ll sign one or two great centre-backs. I want to come back as a Chelsea supporter in years to come with my kids and see the team doing great. unfortunately that’s not going to be with me, but I want to see the team do well. It’s going to be my last year and I want to go out at the top."

Champion: Terry holds up the Premier League trophy 

Terry might be leaving the club, but he did at least console the fans by insisting he would never play for another English club.

He said: "I couldn’t do that to the Chelsea fans. I couldn’t play for another Premier League club. It will be elsewhere for sure. I don’t know where and I leave that to the people in charge. It certainly won’t be in the Premier League.

"My agent made the call like we do very January. He got told over the phone and I called to set up a meeting the following day. The club immediately set that up which was great of them to do that. I wanted to hear it face to face.

"They told me. Unfortunately it’s not going to be. I feel was though I’m in great nick, I’m playing great and I’ve got a couple of years to go. It’ll just be elsewhere."

Terry has been with the club for his entire senior career, progressing through the youth teams to become the most successful captain in the club's history.

The shock decision means he will quit this summer after 18 years in the first team, winning 14 major honours.
 Terry will finish his Stamford Bridge career as the club’s third highest appearance maker.

 

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RUGBY - Six Nations 2016: Scotland's John Hardie primed for 'fizzing' England

He doesn't know what possessed him to visit the old Lockhart Hotel that day, but it was an experience John Hardie is never likely to forget. 

Hardie has only played five Tests and is yet to feature in one on Scottish soil

"The most scared I've ever been," says Scotland's open-side flanker.

The setting is a building in Queenstown on New Zealand's south island - a holiday resort about an hour and a half from Dipton, the farming country where Hardie was born and reared.

Legend has it that there was a fire in Lockhart's place in the late 1800s. Three generations of the family perished.

Only a girl called Mary survived - and she haunts the place to this day. Many Kiwis have gone there over the years and many talk of the sense of foreboding that exists behind that main door.

Hardie's now one of them. Chilled to the bone, he says. "Never going back. Never ever."
The fact that Lockhart's gaff is part of a theme park called Fear Factory - New Zealand's equivalent of the
Edinburgh Dungeons - is neither here nor there to Hardie.

When you ask him what's the most tense he has ever been in his life, you don't hear tales of his early years playing for the Southland Stags in Invercargill, or the time he came face-to-face with some assassin in Super Rugby.

Hardie's dynamism in the loose and at the breakdown has made him an instant hit for Scotland

He mentions the Fear Factory instead. "I went with my girlfriend about a year ago," he said. "It's pitch dark and you have to follow this red light around these alleyways.

"You don't know where you're going then these creatures start jumping out at you. Terrifying. Once was enough.

"I don't normally go in for that kind of stuff, but I did a bungee jump once and I'm not doing that again either. Give me a hard game of rugby instead."

'Coming to Scotland like going back to school'

Afraid of the dark? It doesn't tally with Hardie's tough persona.

Hardie, 27, is a strange animal - a Scotland international who has never played an international in Scotland, his five caps being won in Turin, Paris, Gloucester, Newcastle and at Twickenham in that epic World Cup quarter-final against Australia.

A measure of his success since his sudden elevation to the Scotland squad in the summer has been the silencing of the debate surrounding his arrival. One minute, he was a Highlander who wanted to be an All
Black and the next a Scot - with a granny from Fife - in the World Cup team.

His ascent jarred, but the quality of his game has overtaken everything. He was terrific at the World Cup, his dynamism and cleverness at the breakdown helping to protect and unleash the rapiers in his backline.

"It's one of the best things I've done in my life," he says of his move from what he calls the "comfort zone" of Highlanders rugby. "Having won a cap, I owed it to Scotland to stay here and playing for Edinburgh has been a really good decision.

Hardie (second right) sings 'Flower of Scotland' before facing Australia at the World Cup

"I got into too much of a routine in New Zealand and it was good to get out of it. I needed something different in my career - a change in scenery, new players, new coaches.

"I love the Highlanders, but it was time to try something else. But it was nerve-racking coming here. It was like going back to school again. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect."

He talks about that day against the Wallabies, but only briefly. "We had to suck it up." That's it?" No torment, no ghosts?
 "Nah. We have to learn the lessons, that's all. Nothing else we can do."

Nobody should mistake the emotionless matter-of-fact response to a heartbreaking loss as indifference. It's just the Kiwi in him. What's done is done. You move forwards, you don't look backwards.

'There are no mental blocks'

What about Scotland's habit of losing big games at the death, though? There was that Australia match and the Italy game in the Six Nations just before. There was the France game in the 2014 Six Nations, lost to a penalty two minutes from the end despite France losing eight line-outs and losing the possession and territory battle by a wide margin.

Scottish sides, routinely, come up with novel ways of shooting themselves in the foot.
Most recently, Glasgow Warriors lost a Champions Cup match to Northampton in the closing minutes, a defeat that put paid to their European hopes, and Hardie's Edinburgh team collapsed close to the finishing line against Grenoble last weekend, a late capitulation which led to them exiting the European Champions Cup.

Hardie has been in good form for Edinburgh since joining them after the World Cup

You keep hitting him with this stuff and it doesn't put a dent on him. Zero points scored in the second half against France in the 2015 Six Nations. Another zero in the second half against England and yet another zero against Ireland.

Only three points scored in the second half against Italy despite having 61% possession and spending 62% of the second period in the opposition half.

He says he doesn't know much about what happened before he arrived on these shores. "As a kid, I used to watch the Six Nations, but not live," he said.
"I'd watch it in the morning. I've always known that it was a fantastic thing. But that stuff about what happened in previous seasons doesn't bother me.

"I mean, we were points down against Samoa in the World Cup and we won it late on and that was as big a game as any.
"I don't think there's a mental barrier. I'm new to it all, but I can't sense anything like that.
"I don't see any fear, there's no blockage. We scored lots of tries at the World Cup. Lots of line-breaks. I think there's a lot of improvement."

'Games like England are why you play rugby'

His knowledge of the Calcutta Cup is from across the other side of the world. He's never played in it, watched it in the flesh, or even watched it live on television. There's a hurricane coming his way on 6 February and he knows it.

Scotland's recent Six Nations record v England
2015: England 25-13 Scotland	2012: Scotland 6-13 England
2014: Scotland 0-20 England	2011: England 22-16 Scotland
2013: England 38-18 Scotland	2010: Scotland 15-15 England

"The boys have told me about it, but I know that Scotland v England is massive, it's one of the great fixtures," he said. "I'm not a great watcher of other teams, but there's a lot of change going on with England. New coach, lots of new players, lots of excitement. They've got a fresh start and they'll be fizzing.

"This is why you play rugby, for the pressure, for games like this, for tournaments like the Six Nations.
"Everything is in our own hands. Whatever happened before, happened. I see a hungry bunch of boys with all the talent you need to do well and a set of coaches who are working night and day to try to make it happen."

In the midst of all this, there is the unflappable son of Dipton. "It's about the length of the three rugby pitches. There's about 30 houses, a dairy, a wool shop and a garage. Population of a couple of hundred."
And, on 6 February, he says, they will all become honorary Scots. As long as nobody switches the lights out, their boy, you'd wager, will have a big say in what happens.

 

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SOCCER EXPLORERS - Real madrid smash Espanyol with 6-0 win

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid thrashed Espanyol to cut the gap between themselves and La Liga leaders Barcelona to four points.

Cristiano Ronaldo has 19 La Liga goals for the season

Real scored three goals in the first 16 minutes, with Karim Benzema heading the first from James Rodriguez's cross.
Ronaldo added a penalty, before Rodriguez scored with a deflected shot.
A fizzing Ronaldo strike made it 4-0 by half-time, and he completed a hat-trick by heading in a Jese cross, before Oscar Duarte scored a late own goal.

Real enjoy home comforts

Karim Benzema's early header was his 18th La Liga goal of the season

After last weekend's 1-1 draw at Real Betis, it was imperative that Real responded well, and they started spectacularly.

Zinedine Zidane's side scored three in the opening 12 minutes in their last home game, when they beat Sporting Gijon 5-1, and were almost as fast off the mark this time.

With Rodriguez filling in for the injured Gareth Bale in Real's front three, Espanyol were ripped apart, with Ronaldo the star as he moved level with Barcelona's Luis Suarez - on 19 goals - in the race to be La Liga's leading scorer.

         From Deepdale to despair

 Giedrius Arlauskis was beaten three times in the first 16 minutes of his Espanyol debut

It was just about the most testing debut imaginable for Espanyol's new goalkeeper Giedrius Arlauskis, signed on loan from Watford during the week.

The Lithuania international faced England in a Euro 2016 qualifier in October, but his only previous start at club level this season was for the Hornets in a Capital One Cup defeat at Preston in August.

Arlauskis saved well from Ronaldo's early free-kick and could not be blamed for Real's three quick goals - although the general sense of panic among Espanyol's defenders suggested that communication issues with the goalkeeper may have affected their levels of organisation.

The keeper may feel he could have done better with the fourth, as he got a hand to Ronaldo's shot, but the Portugal international's dazzling footwork deserved a goal as he bamboozled the visiting defence to create space to score.

By the end, Espanyol's defence was begging for mercy - with Costa Rica international Duarte a crestfallen sight as he turned Jese's low ball past the keeper for Real's sixth goal.

What next?

Both teams are back in La Liga action next Sunday, with Real Madrid visiting relegation-threatened Granada, while Espanyol host Real Sociedad.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Home TeamReal MadridAway TeamEspanyol

Possession

Home68%

Away32%

Shots

Home18

Away15

Shots on Target

Home7

Away5

Corners

Home3

Away1

Fouls

Home20

Away20

 

 

 

 

 

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John Terry: Chelsea defender to leave Stamford Bridge

Chelsea captain John Terry is not being offered a new contract and will leave the club at the end of the season.

John Terry has won the Premier League four times

The 35-year-old defender, who joined the club at the age of 14, has won four Premier League titles, five FA Cups and the Champions League with the Blues.

"Ideally I would have loved to stay, but the club's moving in a different direction," he said.
Terry has played 696 times for Chelsea and hopes to continue his career, but not with another English club.

"I couldn't play for another Premier League club. It will be elsewhere for sure," added the former England captain.

"I feel as though I'm in great nick, I'm playing great and I've got a couple of years to go. It'll just be elsewhere.

"The club will move on. No player is ever bigger than the club. No doubt they'll sign one or two great centre-backs."

A season of change

Jose Mourinho left Terry on the bench and replaced him on occasions in 2015-16

Terry's 2015-16 season offers a stark contrast to the previous campaign, where he played in every minute of
Chelsea's Premier League winning campaign.

This year he found himself on the bench under former manager Jose Mourinho and was substituted at half-time during a defeat at Manchester City in August.

Chelsea suffered their worst start to a Premier League season, leading to Mourinho being sacked and replaced by Guus Hiddink until the end of the season.

"They said that when the new manager comes in, things might change," Terry added. "It's a no at the minute. I needed to know now like I have done every January and sometimes it takes a couple of months to get done.

"It's not going to be a fairytale ending, I'm not going to retire at Chelsea, which it took me a couple of days to get over."

17 years of highs and lows

John Terry missed the chance for Chelsea to win the Champions League in 2008

High: Wins his first major honour - the FA Cup in 2000

High: Named Uefa defender of the year in 2005, 2008 and 2009

Low: Missing a penalty to win the Champions League against Manchester United in 2008

High: Completes a Premier League and FA Cup double in 2010

Low: Stripped of the England captaincy and publically criticised for an affair with the ex-partner of former
Chelsea and England team-mate Wayne Bridge in 2010

High: Wins the Champions League in 2012 as Chelsea overcome Bayern Munich

Low: Stripped of the England captaincy, banned for four matches and fined for racial abuse of Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand in 2012

'Someone had to compromise'

Terry is a fans' favourite at Stamford Bridge

Terry has played 477 league games for Chelsea, only Ryan Giggs, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes have managed more for a single club in the Premier League.

His captaincy arrived as the side embarked on their most successful spell in their history and he stands as the highest-scoring defender in Premier League history on 40 goals.

"It's difficult," said former Chelsea defender Graeme Le Saux. "The relationship between an older player who has been at the club all his career, it's whether the club are going to compromise or the player will compromise.

"I'd love to see him there because I think he still as a huge role to play."

Match of the Day pundit Mark Lawrenson added: "For most of his career at Chelsea, anyone could play with him, he was that good. I think he will jump across the Atlantic and meet his mate Frank Lampard in New York."

A Premier League legend?

 

 

 

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Manchester City await arrival of Pep Guardiola but success is not a cert

Guardiola may boast the best managerial CV on the planet but he has scant ­experience of actually building a team says Sunday People columnist Neil Moxley

 

 

 

Seven or so years ago, Pep Guardiola gathered five players around him on Barcelona’s training pitch.
Andres Iniesta and Xavi were told to stay put in the centre-circle, along with Lionel Messi.

Guardiola walked Thierry Henry to one wing. And then guided Samuel Eto’o out to the other.

He said to them both: “When Xavi and Iniesta receive the ball, this is where I want you to go.”

He walked his stars individually through their movements.

Returning to midfield and leaving Henry and Eto’o out wide, he turned to Iniesta and Xavi saying: “When you have the ball, that pair know what they’ve got to do.

               Pep talk: Former Barcelona boss with Messi 

“What I want you to do is ignore them,” he added, pointing first at Henry and Eto’o and then directly at Messi. “And pass the ball to him.”

We start with an anecdote this week, gleaned from a Spanish goalkeeping coach, because it refers to that age-old chestnut about the characteristics of a top-class boss.

As Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger once said, when quizzed, it is great players that make great managers.

And for all the fact that Guardiola’s impending arrival at Manchester City is being hailed in some quarters like he’s the living embodiment of Messrs Clough, Shankly and Ferguson – it doesn’t yet bear scrutiny.
Yes, yes, yes – I accept the fact that the Barcelona side circa 2011 was about as good as it is ever going to get. But look at some of the players...

The five above weren’t bad for a start. Toss Eric Abidal, Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Dani Alves and Javier Mascherano into the mix and you’ve got stars of a generation.

Seven of the side starred in Spain’s World Cup win.

Many of those talents were nurtured at Barcelona, granted.

And, as a former graduate himself of the system, Guardiola knew better than most the talent at his disposal. And for that, he must be saluted.

Pep-si Max: Guardiola won Bundesliga title with Bayern 

 

Fast-forward a couple of years and he is lifting the Bundesliga title in Germany. But Guardiola took over a Bayern Munich side from Jupp Heynekes that had won the Champions League as well as their domestic ­competition the ­season before.


Although again winning a ­competition in any country is an achievement, how do you put that into perspective? Certainly, he has failed since in European competition and it is to be wondered if Guardiola’s talents were that stellar why it is that the Bavarians – who really are European powerhouses – have not battled to keep him?

If, as now seems certain, Guardiola turns up at the Etihad, he is not ­inheriting a dressing-room full of ­top-class stars Good, yes. Great? Apart from Aguero, no. The striker adds a sheen to a Manchester City squad that struggles to truly convince.

The Argentinian alone cannot carry a side that is yet some way short.
And Guardiola’s recruitment policy has not always stood up.


For instance, Barcelona paid a king’s ransom for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. And didn’t know how to use him properly.

Flying Swede: Ibrahimovic had a pop at Pep in his autobiography 

What’s more, the larger-than-life Swede caned Guardiola in his ­autobiography, accusing him of failing to communicate with him. Other expensive mistakes include Dmytrio Chygrynskiy, (£18miliion) Keirrison, (£14m) and Alexander Hleb. (£14m)

Doesn’t inspire too much confidence.

Of course, the sheikhs can afford to rid themselves of any issues, should they arise in the dressing room. It could end up being a hefty bill. Guardiola’s arrival will crank up the pressure on those in the corridors of power to come up with better ­recruits than they did in the 12 months after Roberto Mancini won City’s first title of the new era.

At the moment, what exactly is the new man walking into?

The defence is crying out for the ­addition of a first-rate left-sided ­centre-back. Vincent Kompany ­desperately needs to rediscover his form and fitness.
Fabian Delph adds energy, but is not the top-class midfielder who can carry Yaya Toure on an off-day.

The unlucky Kevin De Bruyne can go missing away-from-home.
Raheem Sterling is still learning his trade. Strange sentence to write that for a £49m player.

Manchester City remain very much a work-in-progress. For all that Guardiola boasts in terms of the best managerial CV on the planet – he has scant ­experience of actually building a team.
It’s as much as the club can do to bring them success, but, as ever in ­football, it comes with a warning that it is no guarantee.

 

 

 

 

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