Terry tells Villa: Only finishing top will do
JOHN TERRY has laid down the challenge for Aston Villa this season in stark terms by insisting his new team must win the Championship.
Villa begin their promotion campaign with a match against manager Steve Bruce’s former club Hull at home on Saturday.
And new captain Terry said: ‘Should we be winning the league? Yes. Nothing else is really acceptable, for me as an individual and I think within the group as well.
‘With the squad of players we already had, and with the additions the manager has made, we are more than capable of going up. Clearly we want to be champions. The worst case scenario, we go up as runners–up.’
Terry, 36, won five Premier League titles, one Champions League, one Europa League, three League Cups and five FA Cups during a glittering 19-year career at Chelsea. But he said the barren seasons still sting and will provide motivation at Villa.
‘Having a taste of winning and then having seasons when you don’t win, they burn unbelievably,’ said Terry.
‘When you play 38 games throughout the year and walk away with nothing, that still makes me boil inside. The opportunities I have missed out on, not winning six titles, not winning six FA Cups.
‘That burning desire, whether it is training games, or table tennis against the kids, that is my character. I want to win.’
Villa will be without injured star players Jonathan Kodjia and Mile Jedinak for the visit of Hull. And Bruce fears Jack Grealish could be out until Christmas after suffering a serious kidney injury in Saturday’s friendly against Watford.
‘Losing him is a blow to us,’ said Bruce. ‘My system in pre-season was geared around Grealish, how to get the best out of him, and he came back flying.’