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Posted on February 26, 2026 11:00 pm | Updated on February 26, 2026 6:49 pm
Chelsea decided to overlook one of their most iconic captains, which has now sparked serious debate. John Terry has revealed he is very unhappy with the Blues. This comes after him not being included in the club’s caretaker team following Enzo Maresca’s sudden exit in January.
John Terry Frustrated With Chelsea?
When Enzo Maresca left Chelsea after a dramatic fallout behind the scenes, the club moved on quickly. Premier League games against Manchester City and Fulham were approaching. With that, stability was needed in the team. Instead of turning to John Terry, the Blues handed temporary charge to Under-21s coach Calum McFarlane. This happened despite the ex-skipper leading the club through its most dominant era.
Meanwhile, Terry works part-time as a mentor within the academy structure. He expected at least to be part of that group stepping up. Speaking in an interview, he said:
“Not annoyed, probably more frustrated, because I was certainly part of that Under-21s group that went over.
“So even if I didn’t take the team, Calum took the team, did really well, got a result out of the game. I feel like I should have been part of that.
“Now listen, people have got to make decisions. I love it when people make decisions and they go ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Clearly the ownership, or whoever made those decisions, the sporting directors, have gone ‘no’ not to include me, for whatever reason. I don’t know why.”
🚨🚨| John Terry responding to fans saying he’s not qualified for the Chelsea job:
“I have every qualification going, I have 3 years coaching experience in the Premier League with Aston Villa. On top of that nobody is more Chelsea than me. For us to be top again we need a top… pic.twitter.com/0hJCR4CAoN
— Goals Side (@goalsside) January 5, 2026
The former England international did not demand the spotlight. He simply felt he deserved involvement. For a club legend who gave everything in blue, being left out likely hurts. The west London club’s board made a clear call without Terry in their mind.
Qualifications And Experience Raise Questions
Terry has completed his coaching badges up to the Uefa Pro Licence. He also holds a Fifa diploma in leadership. On paper, he ticks serious boxes to be a manager of the Blues.
Beyond the certificates, he has real dugout experience as well. He served as assistant to Dean Smith at Aston Villa and later at Leicester City. Those roles gave him the experience of top-level management in football. In addition, he got to learn tactical preparation and dressing room dynamics too. This is not a former player casually putting his foot into coaching, he has put in the work.
By comparison, McFarlane currently holds a Uefa B Licence. But, the club officials believed he was the right fit. He worked closely with Maresca in the Under-21s and operated within a similar tactical system. The thinking was to keep the system running by avoiding disruption.
Given that, it worked in the short term. McFarlane impressed and later got promoted to Liam Rosenior’s first-team staff. This took place after Rosenior arrived permanently from Strasbourg. From the club’s perspective, the choice paid off in a great way.
Nonetheless, for Terry the numbers and experience tell a different story. He had the highest coaching badge available and previous Premier League bench time. Still, he got passed over and that is hard to swallow.
Limited Role Adds To Growing Concern
Now Terry’s position at Chelsea remains restricted. He works only a few days each month with academy sides. His contact with the senior squad is minimal. Though he stays in touch with players who graduated from the youth system like captain Reece James.
For someone desperate to build a serious coaching career, that is a tough path. Terry has previously spoken about struggling to land roles in the English Football League despite applying for several jobs. The caretaker decision only fuels the feeling that things are not working out for him.
Interestingly, he now manages an indoor six-a-side influencer team called the 26ers in the Baller League. It keeps him active and keeps him sharp for the time being.
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