Serial blubberer John Terry has admitted he cried after Manchester City pipped Chelsea to last year’s Premier League title, but insisted he is happy with the ‘real men’ that have been added to the squad.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side were last men standing in May after Brendan Rodgers’ surprise package Liverpool and Jose Mourinho’s Blues faltered, letting the Chilean pick up the trophy at the first attempt.
And 33-year-old Terry admitted the Stamford Bridge outfit’s failure to regain a title he last laid hands on in 2010 left him in tears – a notion that will be familiar to Manchester United fans after he broke down following Champions League heartbreak in 2008.
“I was in tears over the Premier League last year, over throwing that away and not winning it,” Terry told reporters. “That’s what I play for week-in, week-out. I’m never scared to show my emotions.
“I just want to win trophies, that’s what I’m born to do, it’s in me from when I was a kid. I just want to win games, whether that’s in the Premier League or the Champions League.”
The early form has suggested he might not have to wait too long to taste domestic success yet again, with Chelsea sitting top of the league, five points clear of direct rivals City,
The pair shared the spoils at The Etihad last month with Chelsea all-time top scorer Frank Lampard beating Terry to the ball to grab a 1-1 draw.
But it’s the signings in west London that have impressed Terry with Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and January arrival Nemanja Matic catching his, hopefully now tearless, eye.
Costa has fired the Blues to the Premier League summit with eight goals already in his short stint in the capital with Fabregas making the bullets, grabbing a record-breaking assists in six consecutive games.
Meanwhile, former Benfica midfielder Matic stung the Portuguese side’s hated rivals Sporting Lisbon with the only goal of the game in their Champions League encounter on Tuesday night.
“Those three signings are quality, all unbelievable players but big characters as well, on and off the pitch,” Terry added. “What I call real men and players with great experience as well.
“Matic had to come to Portugal [with Benfica] and gain experience, but came back to Chelsea a completely different player and a man now.
“Cesc has been in England before so he knew what to expect, and you expect him to hit the ground running, which he’s done.
“With Diego we didn’t know. We’ve seen it before: some strikers take months and months. But he’s hit the ground running.”
Former Atletico Madrid hitman Costa, in particular, was singled out for praise, after revelations that he his hitting the target on the pitch without training, according to Mourinho.
The 25-year-old goal machine ended last season with injury problems after a failed comeback from a hamstring problem in the Champions League Final before an anonymous World Cup with Spain.
But Terry insists that he is already speaking the same language as his fellow Chelsea cohorts – on the pitch, not off it.
“Eight goals already is superb and it’s great for us,” he said. He’s a good character, a great character.
“Without speaking a word of English, he gets by and gets on great with everyone.
“He puts himself about but gets up and battles on, and plays with little niggles. That’s what you want. That’s why he’s come to the Premier League – to win.
“He made that clear to everyone in pre-season. He’s come here to win trophies. That’s what he wants to do.”
Chelsea face a crunch clash with Arsenal on Sunday, while City have the chance to close the gap with a trip to Villa Park on Saturday.
Aston Villa were crushed 3-0 at Stamford Bridge last weekend as Chelsea laid down a marker for Vincent Kompany and co.
Image courtesy of ITV, via YouTube, with thanks.
