'Sit down' – John Terry criticised by ex-Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill over Andre Villas-Boas plane row at Chelsea

30/04/2024 19:31

John Terry has been lambasted for undermining Andre Villas-Boas after a revealing story about player power at Chelsea.

During his time as captain, Terry led a dressing room full of strong personalities and huge players, including Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Ashley Cole and Petr Cech.

Some managers struggled to deal with the egos at Stamford Bridge, including Villas-Boas, who lasted less than one season in west London.

Speaking to talkSPORT host Simon Jordan on his Up Front podcast, the former England international spoke of how Villas-Boas looked to stamp his authority on day one.

Terry revealed that the ex-Tottenham boss tried to place youth players in first-class and the established players in economy ahead of a pre-season tour, something that Terry said would not go ahead.

Reacting to the story, former Aston Villa, Celtic and Leicester boss Martin O’Neill hit out at the Chelsea legend and told him he was out of line throwing for his manager under the bus.

Speaking on the White & Jordan Show, he said: “If I put myself into that situation where I thought that the major players were going to rebel, I would have driven that plane myself and left them at the airport.

“I would have done that, absolutely. Because the moment that Villas-Boas decides that the players will have to be moved back up again then he’s lost the dressing room.

“If he loses the dressing room over that, he will lose it over tactics, he will lose it over everything, and that is the point.

“You had an ex-Chelsea player on here five or six months ago, John Obi Mikel, and he was saying the same thing, that the players ran it.

“Well they didn’t need a manager then if that was the case. Don’t get me wrong, they won and they won big and that’s great, delighted.

“But somewhere along the way, you have to still be managed. John Terry, I know Simon has a lot of time for him, has been a fabulous footballer, great, great centre-half and a great leader.

“But, at the end, I am sorry but you’re going to have to be led John and you’re going to have to listen to what I am saying.

“You might not necessarily agree with it, but I am going to win this and you are going to sit down at the back of that plane and you’re going to stay there or you’re going to stay at the airport.

“I’m not just saying that now because it sounds as if I’m really big. I would have done that, as a manager.”

No captain has lifted more Premier League titles than Terry, who won five while donning the armband, as well as winning the Champions League and Europa League.

His trophy cabinet also includes five FA Cups and three League Cups, indicating that this was a side that knew how to win things – with or without a manager.

“To be fair, I probably would not have picked that fight. I think I would have judged the situation,” O’Neill added.

“If it was AVB’s first day in charge, then maybe it is a different issue, but if he has been there a number of weeks, you’re going to have to work with these players.

“So don’t lose a battle that you’re going to lose in the manner in which you’ve lost it.”