Terry says reassurance from Abramovich convinced him to stay on with Chelsea
By ANITuesday, July 28, 2009
LONDON - Chelsea and England captain John Terry has said that the credit for him staying on with the Blues should go to club owner Roman Abramovich.
According to JT, he was absolutely ready to join Manchester City for 250,000 pounds a week, but when it came down to the wire, his love of Chelsea - and a burning ambition to achieve more success with the club - was brought home in a chat with Abramovich.
Terry, 28, said: “As soon as Roman and I spoke there was never an issue. We sat down and he told me, ‘You’re the heartbeat of the team, you’ve been here for many years and I want you to stay’. That was fantastic.”
Leaving the club was not something Terry had ever considered. But in his honest discussions with Abramovich he found reassurance - and also an intriguing insight to one of football’s most enigmatic figures.
“He is a very successful businessman and makes all the final decisions. But he likes to have the opinion of the players. We’re the ones living and breathing the football life and if he can make a really small improvement for us on or off the pitch he tries to do it,” said Terry. (ANI)
