Jose Mourinho former assistant manager Steve Clarke believes that Chelsea and Antonio Conte are making a mistake not extending John Terry‘s contract for the next season:
“I’m surprised and I have been quite vocal in my support of John Terry staying at Chelsea next season,” Clarke told Sky Sports News HQ.
“John has been there so long. He understands the club and knows it inside out. He understands the passion of the supporters and it is just my personal opinion, but I think he would be a big help for the incoming manager.
“It’s Conte‘s first season in the Premier League and he would have John’s experience to call on when needed. He’d have John’s ear, if you like.
“John is the club captain and a big personality in the dressing room and it just seems a little strange that they are going to let him go. It’s not as though he is over the hill. You look at his performances this season when he’s been fit, the team have done well so I think he has another season in him.”
Clarke also underlined how Chelsea will struggle in next transfer window, being the club out of European competitions for the next campaign:
“The elite players, the top, top players around the world want to play Champions League football so Chelsea will struggle to attract that type of player to the club,” Clarke said.
Finally, he claimed that Conte is the right choice in this moment for the club:
“But I think Antonio Conte is a good appointment. His track record is good. People I have spoken to tell me he is quite intense, not too dissimilar to Jose Mourinho in that aspect.
“He’s very demanding of his players and I think Chelsea have shown this season that they are a squad of players that need a manager who demands a lot of them and pushes them.”