What’s the Wise Approach for Villa With the Future of John Terry?

Golden Oldies

While the yearly Gareth Barry to Aston Villa rumours do the rounds once again (please don’t tell me you clicked on them!), one old timer confirmed there is at least a real possibility of seeing him play for Villa next season.

It was leaked earlier in the season that John Terry would/could be asked to play another season, if Villa got promoted to the Premier League. That seems to have been related to the player’s actual contract, which the player confirmed last week.

“It is in my contract (to stay) if we go up,” confirmed John Terry. “Fingers crossed and touch wood we do, then I will be staying another year.”

The Birmingham Mail ran the headline “John Terry delivers the news every Aston Villa fan wanted to hear”, but is it as simple as that?

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With Terry turning 38-years-old at the end of the year, you’d understand Villa gambling on him for another season in the Championship, but will he be up to the task of the Premier League now?

Staying on, is obviously related to Villa being able to afford him, and it’s only slated to happened if Villa have access to Premier League TV rights money.

Terry is very much at the age though, where the law of diminishing returns kicks in fast. Just ask Rio Ferdinand about them.

Issue of £££

Would Villa be getting their money’s worth? Would he be a first team regular? If not, how many games would he have to play for Villa to feel like they were getting their monies worth? Would his name again generate decent shirt sales in the new season?

If Villa did get promoted, obviously Villa need to start building for the long-term, after the recent Championship short-termism. If Villa went out and bought a talented younger centre-back to partner James Chester, would Terry even stick around to play second fiddle as a squad member?

The attraction to stay at Villa in such a capacity, maybe to keep his hand in, as he transitions into coaching and management. After all, this summer, he’ll be one step closer to his plans to go into that side of the game.

“I am on my A licence in the summer and whatever happens then I will be ready to coach and manage with the work in progress in my A licence,” said Terry, in the Daily Mirror.

“I will be prepared whether I decide to carry on playing, or if I decide to stop. I will be ready to go depending what options I choose.”

Do you think that Terry would be a starter in the Premier League next season? If not, would it be money well spent to have him in the squad, at least?

 

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