LONDON: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has declared that a new contract for long-serving captain John Terry (pictured) will be “a formality”, according to British newspaper reports yesterday.
Terry’s contract is due to expire in June, but the 34-year-old has been in fine form for the Premier League leaders this season and has scored twice in his last two games.
“It’s a formality,” said Mourinho of contract talks with the former England captain, who made his Chelsea debut in October 1998.
“There are no doubts that he is going to get another contract. I know that, he knows that. We in the club, in the board, we know that and I think also you have to feel that.
“Without us confirming anything, you have to feel that. He’s a very important player in the team so the next contract sooner or later will come.”
Yesterday, Chelsea’s Premier League title hopes suffered a blow when they were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by a resilient Southampton side at St Mary’s.
Meanwhile, Sunderland coach Gus Poyet has hit out at the Premier League’s jam-packed festive fixture schedule, branding the arrangement “a disgrace” in comments published by several British newspapers on Sunday.
Following a full programme of matches on Friday, all 20 top-flight clubs play again yesterday and will play today, with another round of games scheduled for New Year’s Day. Poyet’s side won 1-0 at Newcastle United last weekend before losing 3-1 at home to Hull City on Friday and ahead of the trip to Aston Villa, he warned that his players were struggling to cope.
“We shouldn’t be playing on the 28th,” said the Uruguayan, who represented Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur during his player career and previously coached Brighton and Hove Albion.
“I’ve been in England for a long time and I know that Boxing Day games are a tradition and I accept that and think we should maintain it.
“But I think that then playing on the 28th is a disgrace. We shouldn’t be playing then, we shouldn’t. If you want to see the best players performing well, you need to make sure you are not playing every two days.
“It is not needed. That is not tradition and anyone who says it is not telling the truth.”
AFP
