What does Terry’s admission mean for Chelsea?

The Daily Express has reported that John Terry believes the trio consisting of himself, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba are possibly more important than who the manager is at Chelsea. Player power at Chelsea has been a theme in recent years and Terry’s admission suggests that there is certainly an issue at Stamford Bridge, but what is less clear is whether these players are having a positive affect behind the scenes, or whether they have the power to completely destabilise the club should they so wish.

Chelsea have undergone five managerial changes in the last 3 years, but throughout this time, the playing staff have for the most part, remained the same. The likes of Terry, Lampard, Drogba, Cech, Ballack and Cole have outlasted these managers. It is widely suspected that it was the players who engineered the sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari after they became unhappy with some of his methods and that Terry and a few others have the ear of owner Roman Abramovich.

Terry believes that Chelsea consistency over the last few years is down to the sense of unity that he and his two comrades try to foster in the squad. Certainly when Avram Grant was in charge of Chelsea, many felt that he did very little with the squad and that the players were experienced enough to manage and motivate themselves. This is a little harsh, considering Grant showed the intelligence to bring in Nicholas Anelka who is now a key member of the squad.

The Chelsea captain’s point is not that the manager is irrelevant at Chelsea; it is clear that this is not the case. The differences between Scolari’s and Hiddink’s reign illustrates this perfectly. At a club where the manager seems to change every season, it is perhaps necessary for the captain and his lieutenants to have more control amongst the squad. But for Ancelotti it may be a concern; a manager should not be in a position where players have more power than him. He should not be in a position where he is wary of dropping a player for fear of him running to the captain or the owner. There is some suggestion that this is what is happening, Malouda’s recent comments about Lampard casued quite a stir before the Frenchma apologized. It may be a worry for Chelsea’s Italian manager that his captain and other senior players see themselves as of equal or greater importance to the club than him.

The situation is manageable for now with Chelsea sitting at the top of the league, but if things take a turn for the worse on the field; Terry and his teamates may show that the issue of player power still haunts Chelsea.

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