Chelsea PodJockey David Chidgey looks at the role that John Terry plays at Stamford Bridge and wonders if he is the true leader of the football club.

With all the speculation and re-appraisals of Avram Grant's management ability over the past few weeks, a very important cog in the Chelsea machine has gone somewhat unnoticed.

The concerned groans that met the sight of John Terry writhing around in agony during the Bolton game should tell everyone what most Chelsea fans have known deep down for a long time. John Terry is the true blue leader and without him Chelsea's chances of securing their first Champion's League trophy would be seriously undermined.

Great Captains have always led by example on the pitch, and Terry's somewhat old skool approach to football has always embodied this. As a player he always gives 150%. He never shirks a challenge or gives risk of injury a second thought. Who could ever forget seeing him spark out in the Carling Cup final having been kicked in the head by Eboue? And of course JT did a runner from his hospital bed to join in the celebration with the lads later that evening!

However, Terry's contribution to Chelsea's season may well be more significant than his leadership on the pitch. Many have criticised Grant's management style as uninspiring. Many have accused Henk Ten Cate as being nothing more than a bully who alienates the players. Many more bemoan the fact that Stevie Clarke has been marginalised by the new management team. Of course, without being privy to the dressing room, we don't really know the truth. But, for one moment, let's assume that this has in fact been the case since Grant's takeover. Then, factor in the huge amount of egos in a highly overpaid and star filled team, the predictably high mercenary count, and the general unhappiness with many of the team at Mourinho's departure.

How on earth then, could a rudderless, leaderless team be one game away from its greatest ever victory?

I for one think we owe it to JT. If you cast your mind back to the insanity that pervaded immediately after Mourinho's departure, Terry was the one man making the right noises about pulling together and moving forward for the sake of the club rather than throwing his toys out of the pram and demanding a move to wherever the Special One landed.

Terry has garnered the support of the dressing room and if the team play for anyone they play for JT; not Grant or Ten Cate. Without doubt, he is the leader both on and off the pitch. They say that great Captains are the manager on the pitch. Think of Roy Keane at Man Utd. In Terry, Chelsea has a Captain who is perhaps the real Manager on the pitch.

No player is bigger than the club, but in JT's case it may well be true that he has been the heartbeat of Chelsea this season, and has carried a disparate band of ego's and players with him all the way to the final. He is by no means perfect and has many flaws, but then we're all human. It would be fitting to see him lift the trophy with the big ears next week, and see his off-field influence recognised. Let's hope Capello also realises how invaluable Terry's leadership can be to the England side.

In the next Chelsea Podcast, Martin and I will be looking forward to next Wednesday's final. Stuart Norman will be with us to offer his thoughts on the trip he will be making to see Chelsea win the cup (hopefully), and whether he'll get out in one piece! Sheridan Bird from Champions Magazine will be casting his eye over the two finalists to see where the game can be won or lost, and what Uefa's expectations are for the first all English final. No doubt we'll be asking him about the dodgy pitch too! We'll also have Yevgeny with us - a real Muscovite - to give us the ‘insider's guide to Moscow' and he'll be teaching us a few choice Russian phrases to help Stuart navigate the bars of Moscow, as well as keeping out of trouble with the feared Omon riot police!

Make sure you download it on Monday; it promises to be a cracker. Come on the Chels!