If he wants to coach, there is no room for ego

YOU cannot fail to admire what John Terry has achieved on the football pitch. He has won 15 major trophies, been hailed for his leadership skills and honoured by his peers. Terry divides opinion, too, and his desire to milk every moment brings us to his last game at Stamford Bridge. Of course he deserved a rapturous farewell from the Chelsea fans who have idolised him. But why did he have to make it all about him? Throughout his career, Terry has ensured he is always the centre of attention. This is the man who dressed in a full kit to lift the Champions League trophy in 2012 despite missing the final through suspension. He is the ultimate self-publicist, so it was no great shock that Brand Terry was wheeled out for one last hurrah. But Sunday would have been Terry’s day with or without the substitution gimmick. He would have still lifted the Premier League trophy with Gary Cahill. He could have played the last five minutes once the match was won — or even the final 26 if he so desperately wanted to immortalise his shirt number. But the adulation of the fans was not enough. Terry turned a Premier League fixture into a 26-minute testimonial. We have been told that the stunt was Terry’s idea, but Chelsea, Antonio Conte, Sunderland and David Moyes must shoulder a great deal of the blame. If I was a Chelsea player, I would have felt awkward standing in a guard of honour midway through the first half. Even referee Neil Swarbrick was at fault for delaying the game for two minutes. You would have thought someone would have prevented Terry from embarrassing himself. I would not have wanted to take such a prominent role in my last Arsenal match. My final game was on the day we completed a season unbeaten, coming on for the last three minutes against Leicester at Highbury. It was my 10th league appearance of the season and it was right to let my team-mates enjoy the limelight. Could you imagine Tony Adams wanting to bid farewell by being taken off in the sixth minute when Arsenal won the title in 2002? Terry would have earned a lot more respect by going out gracefully. If he wants to go into coaching, he needs to leave his ego at the door.