Terry finds boot’s on the other foot now...
JOHN Terry has revealed how Dean Smith has already put him in his place at Aston Villa... for wearing the wrong-coloured boots!
The No.2 embarked on a new mission this week as he conducted training alongside the new-look management team at Bodymoor Heath for the first time.
But when Terry trotted out alongside black boot-wearing head coach Smith and assistant Richard O’Kelly, in a style only associated with players, he was quickly told to get in line.
Asked whether he would ever consider playing again, Terry replied: “No. I had my boots on and got a bit of stick because I was wearing white boots!
“The lads, the gaffer, everyone gave me a bit of stick. I had to come over to the coaching staff and put a pair of black boots on.
“As far as playing is concerned, that is done. That is my previous life. This is a new chapter for me and something ward to.”
Terry mingled with the media before Monday’s press conference to unveil Smith as the new boss. But he stayed in the background when it got under way, keen to emphasise the focus should be on the manager. He explained how his first day ‘on the dark side’ went.
“It is more intimidating for me,” he said. “I want to learn from Dean and from Richard.
“We were in bright and early and, as a player, you don’t realise the depth and the amount of work that goes into the work and the prep before. You turn up as a player and get on with the session. On Monday morning we went through it for an I am really looking for- hour, and then another hour-and-ahalf afterwards, sorting out the week.
“It is a real eye-opener for me. I am really keen to learn. I am nowhere near the finished article.
“I have aspirations to be a manager one day but that is four or five years away for me.
“I am very keen to learn and I have two great people to learn from who have a wealth of experience.”
Terry has been planning thetransition to coaching for some time now. He meticulously studied training sessions at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte, and hopes to bring his own qualities into the sessions at Villa. So has he called on any of his former bosses advice this week?
“A few have been in touch to wish me well and tell me I have come over to the ‘dark side’ a little bit, that my days will be gone, that I am back to proper work, that kind of thing,” he said.
“I am doing something I love. I love football, regardless of playing, managing, coaching. I love being in and around it. I am here to be a sponge.
“Like I said, I feel as though I can assist, otherwise I wouldn’t be in the role. I feel I can give back my experience of playing in the division and being in this dressing room last year. The combination of the three of us will hopefully work very well.” for help and