Global Soccer Awards: Chelsea ‘A Long Way Off’ – John Terry Manchester City and Liverpool

John Terry has acknowledged that Chelsea currently lag behind Manchester City and Liverpool but emphasized the need to grant Mauricio Pochettino time at Stamford Bridge. As Chelsea’s all-time appearance leader with 717 games, Terry secured the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2012, even though he was suspended for the final against Bayern Munich in Munich. Additionally, Terry has served as an assistant manager to Dean Smith on two occasions. The first instance occurred in 2018 at Aston Villa, leading to their promotion to the Premier League. The second was in April 2023, when Smith assumed the role of caretaker manager at Leicester City.

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Addressing the audience at the Globe Soccer Awards, which was broadcast live on TNT Sports, John Terry acknowledged that his cherished Blues are currently not at the level to contend at the top of the league.

“You know what? I believe we’re witnessing cycles,” remarked Terry. “If I reflect on the past 10 to 15 years, Manchester United dominated the Premier League. Then Chelsea had their period of dominance. Now, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are the ones on top.

“I’ve been saying for a while now that catching them will be tough. They’re the best team, boasting exceptional individual players, and their consistent performance year after year is remarkable. I managed to secure the Premier League title twice in consecutive seasons, and it’s an immensely challenging feat.

“I wish them all the best; they’re a fantastic team. Unfortunately, Chelsea is currently a bit off the pace, but patience is key. The manager needs time. Pochettino is a great manager; I’ve witnessed his work on a daily basis. We have a young squad, and we’re still a considerable distance away from the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool at the moment.”

Currently, The Blues hold the ninth position in the Premier League standings, trailing nine points behind fourth-placed Arsenal and 14 points behind the league leaders, Liverpool.

In their upcoming fixture, Mauricio Pochettino’s team will be aiming to reverse a 1-0 deficit suffered against Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup semi-final, second leg, with Hayden Hackney scoring the decisive goal at the Riverside Stadium. Subsequently, they have a challenging FA Cup encounter against Aston Villa, followed by a midweek visit to Anfield on January 31. This match marks their return to Premier League action after a somewhat unconvincing 1-0 victory over Fulham on January 13.