John Terry is a divisive player at the best of times, and the football world has had much to say about the controversial manner in which he departed Chelsea today.
Chelsea’s match against Sunderland was Terry’s final game for the club he captained, bringing to an end his illustrious 22-year career with the Blues. However, the defender and club were roundly criticised for the decision to bring him off the pitch for a mid-match guard of honour, with it having since been revealed that Terry personally requested that the theatrics take place.
Terry’s tearful exit from the pitch in the 26th minute, which is not-so-coincidentally the 36-year-old’s shirt number, was agreed upon by Chelsea and Sunderland manager David Moyes, who requested that his players kick the ball out of play so that Terry could be substituted.
“I kind of negotiated with the manager to play 26 minutes and come off,” Terry told Sky Sports after the match. “I think he wanted to get the boys that didn’t play on Monday night against Watford and give them a run-out. It was a compromise between the two of us.”
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte discussed the substitution with BBC Radio 5 Live, saying that the club “had to find the best for him” and that Terry deserved the timely substitution and subsequent guard of honour. However, pundits for the BBC’s Final Score show mocked the move: “This isn’t Hollywood; this is a Premier League fixture”, Stoke City and Tottenham legend Garth Crooks said. “I’m just a little bit bemused. It’s obviously been set up, and I’m a little bit uncomfortable with it to be honest with you.”
This isn’t the first time that Terry has been criticised for his arrogance. Back in 2012 he was forced to miss Chelsea’s Champions League final match against Bayern Munich as a result of a suspension, only to storm the pitch wearing his full kit after the Blues bested their opponents in order to be photographed lifting the trophy. His antics became widely parodied online, with him being Photoshopped into iconic photos including the moon landing, the collapse of the Berlin Wall and Bobby Moore lifting the 1966 World Cup.
Now Terry’s latest controversial act has also been mocked by football fans online, with many users criticising him for his egocentric display:
Just realised that John Terry came off to a Guard of Honour in the middle of a game and now I'm trying to clean the vomit off my screen.
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) May 21, 2017
The year is 2020 and John Terry is still doing his goodbye speech
— The Football Hub (@TheFootbaIlHub) May 21, 2017
So can I just get this straight? Moyes agreed Sunderland would put ball out in the 26th minute so John Terry could have a send-off? Really?
— Phil McNulty (@philmcnulty) May 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/DickinsonTimes/status/866334671768088577
With Chelsea having secured their Premier League victory before the end of the season, Terry lifted the trophy following the club’s 5-1 thrashing of Sunderland alongside his successor, Gary Cahill. He thanked the fans, teammates and the club’s owner Roman Abramovich, before leading Stamford Bridge in cheers of “Antonio! Antonio” for the Blues’ manager.
