John Terry is still open to a full-time return to coaching. It's something Chelsea should be all over.
With a lack of leaders in the squad and a backroom formed of those promoted without prior experience at the top level, Terry is one of the few remaining links to 'Old Chelsea'. For the large part, that is by design.
The Clearlake Capital-Todd Boehly administration wanted to rid themselves of the past and rewrite Chelsea as something different. The club founded on winners under Roman Abramovich is no more.
It is why Petr Cech - one of a number of former players previously involved - was removed from his position as a director along with Bruce Buck and Marina Granovskaia. Terry, unlike Cech, does still have a role, albeit a minor and out-of-the-way one.
Since December 2021 Terry has been working on a part-time basis with the Chelsea academy. That has continued into the new ownership but his responsibilities have not gone any further.
That is also as planned, with Terry wanting and needing some time away from football. "I had to leave Aston Villa for personal reasons, for family reasons and stuff," he told talkSPORT this week about his coaching journey. Terry has not been employed full-time at the top level since departing Leicester City, where he was assistant manager to Craig Shakespeare in interim charge for three months.
"I love coaching and after three years, I was ready to be a manager, so I came away and reset with the family," he continued. "Then I had a couple of interviews and it was quite disappointing. In every interview I came away from they said 'you have no experience as a number one'.
"I'm like, 'okay, how do I get that?' I'm keen to get in, I want to go in and it needs to be the right team, but didn't get my opportunity. I've stepped back and I'm part-time in the academy at Chelsea. I love doing it and I love being around the boys and supporting them."
Terry, unlike Frank Lampard, has not as actively pursued management as much in recent years. His passion for Chelsea and the young players he is around still shines through.
He has given talks to Under-18 and Under-21 players on leadership at Cobham. Terry remains committed and enjoys imparting his knowledge. Whether that is being on the grass in training sessions or reviewing clips with the current prospects, he is still a huge figure at the club.
His position has never threatened to break into the first-team setup, though. It is still something he would dream of doing. "In terms of my life at the minute, I'm playing a load of golf and summer's just about to come now," he explained. "I’m playing padel: I'm fit, I'm healthy, I'm with my wife, with my family, enjoying life a little bit."
Terry is constantly in the gym and keeps active. He is preparing for the London marathon, where he will be running and raising money for his foundation and charity. He has always been a busy man and in the past admitted that he would find it hard to give up the golf, which he spends a great deal of time practising and playing.
The opportunity to manage or coach among the elite is a goal of his but not something seen as being realistic right now. "I think the longer I leave it, the less likely it is to happen," he said.
As for Chelsea, the door is open in his mind. "I still have a dream, I'd love to go in at Chelsea one day. Does that happen without me doing the other levels? No, it probably doesn't. So, realistically, it's not going to happen for me.
"I'm comfortable with that, I'm happy, I've done all my badges, I'm ready. So if anything does ever come up and it's the right opportunity, I'll go in."
Chelsea would be foolish not to try Terry out. He is someone too important in the club's history and with the right ambitions in mind not to have him at least a bit closer to the senior side.
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: John Terry of Chelsea shouts during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Watford at Stamford Bridge on December 26, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
With no clear identity flowing through the walls of Stamford Bridge and Cobham anymore, a profile as big as Terry's is vital for providing accessible role models. His comments about the style of elite modern football teams is unlikely to impress Enzo Maresca, but Terry still has plenty to offer.
"I think everyone is obsessed with possession and also playing out from the back, it drives me crazy," he said on the radio. "Goalkeepers have the most touches on the ball nowadays. We don't want to be those ex-players who are like, 'back in our day we used to do it like this,' but we are trying to encourage the wide lads at the Chelsea academy.
"How many crosses do you get in the first half? How many do you get in the second half? How many shots at goal do you have? All of these things can create chances or make the defenders defend crosses."
This is particularly pertinent for Chelsea right now. Under Maresca, the play has become stale, stagnant, turgid, and really quite boring. Possession principles are nothing new but they are a world away from the physical, dynamic, and powerful sides Terry played in and against.
Whereas the club have been happy to employ consultants and mentality coaches from elsewhere, Terry is an easy winner. His impact and trickle down onto the academy is clear but in the first team there is still a dearth.
The group are growing and learning on the job. Terry was at that stage once and also had to transition with noise and new players when Abramovich arrived. The world has changed since but Terry's intangibles are still invaluable.
Nobody is asking for Terry to be the new manager or even a key part of the coaching staff under Maresca. With him being right under the noses at Chelsea, taking things a step further is only logical. If all parties have the desire to make it work, Terry could still have a big say in Chelsea's future.
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Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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