Football
9y

John Terry: I cried after Chelsea's Premier League title collapse

John Terry has revealed he was left in tears after Chelsea's Premier League title challenge came to a disappointing end last season.

The Blues looked like they might secure their first title since 2010 going into the closing stages of the last campaign, only to go on and drop points to Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Norwich.

Such wastefulness allowed Manchester City and Liverpool to capitalise, with City eventually going on to finish top of the table and Chelsea having to settle for third place.

"I was in tears over the Premier League last year, over throwing that away and not winning it," Terry told the Guardian. "That's what I play for week-in, week-out. I'm never scared to show my emotions.

"I just want to win trophies, that's what I'm born to do, it's in me from when I was a kid. I just want to win games, whether that's in the Premier League or the Champions League."

Terry, however, is confident Chelsea will prove to be more successful this season following the signings the club made in the summer.

The former England international has been impressed with Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas since their arrivals, as well as with Nemanja Matic who re-signed for the club in January.

"Those three signings are quality, all unbelievable players but big characters as well, on and off the pitch. What I call real men, and players with great experience as well," he said.

"Matic had to come to Portugal [with Benfica] and gain experience, but came back to Chelsea a completely different player and a man now. He was superb again against Sporting. Cesc has been in England before so he knew what to expect, and you expect him to hit the ground running, which he's done.

"With Diego we didn't know. We've seen it before -- some strikers take months and months. But he's hit the ground running. Eight goals already is superb and it's great for us. He's a good character, a great character. Without speaking a word of English he gets by and gets on great with everyone.

"He puts himself about but gets up and battles on, and plays with little niggles. That's what you want. That's why he's come to the Premier League: to win. He made that clear to everyone in preseason. He's come here to win trophies. That's what he wants to do."

Terry made his 100th appearances in the Champions League in Tuesday's 1-0 victory at Sporting Lisbon, having made his debut in the competition in a 2-0 home defeat to Besiktas 11 years ago.

Chelsea won the tournament in 2012, only for the defender to miss the final through suspension, while he missed a penalty in the final defeat to Manchester United in 2008. However, he is hopeful the club can mount another challenge this season.

"For me the most important thing is not just the 100 appearances but to strive to go on and win it again for the club," he said. "On a personal note I'm delighted to reach that many games, it's a great achievement, I think only 28 players have done it. So to stay in a great side for that long and to play that many games is an honour.

"I hope this team is good enough to win it again. That's obviously the target, the mentality of where we are as a club, and it has been for the last 10 years or so since the owner came in. With Jose Mourinho back in now, that's our target and that's the standard."

Terry added: "I'm still driven on by missing the final two years ago. The biggest night ever for the club, and I didn't play in it. But I played in one [in Moscow] and I felt a massive part of it, and the players made me feel a huge part of Munich."

^ Back to Top ^