TERRY blast outsiders who accuse stars of running the club
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Shut it
Woj is talking rubbish, says Terry
NOT IMPRESSED ... John Terry
JOHN TERRY has blasted the Chelsea outsiders who accuse the English stars of running the club.
Skipper Terry was angered by Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny claiming that a cartel of senior stars turned up the heat on axed boss Andre Villas-Boas.
And JT was fuming after former boss Big Phil Scolari insisted that "hell" awaits the next man in the Blues hotseat.
Terry said: "People harp on about the senior players running this club but that is absolutely untrue.
"Those people speculating from outside and some previous managers are talking complete nonsense.
"That might be the perception from outside but Roman Abramovich and the board make all the decisions. Completely.
"Of course what happens on the football pitch can affect what happens upstairs. If we don't win matches, the board step in.
"Unfortunately, it fell on Andre's head. But we're all to blame."
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Di Matteo cast aside as Terry rallies troops ahead of crunch Napoli clash
Alongside the emasculated figure of Roberto Di Matteo, John Terry finally took charge of Chelsea on Tuesday night.
It certainly seemed like that; certainly seemed like the senior players had seized control on the eve of what could be their last chance to win the Champions League together. A real win-or-bust situation.
Terry denied it, on more than one occasion. 'Completely untrue,' he said. But how telling that, in repeatedly insisting Roman Abramovich and the board 'make the decisions', at no point did he mention the manager.
The manager, in Di Matteo's case the interim manager, was 'Robbie', an old colleague and an old mate. Even if it might be stretching it a bit to suggest these two are actually fond of one another.
This, however, is Chelsea's reality as they endeavour to battle back from that 3-1 defeat in Naples and progress to the last eight of a competition that has proved so painful for them.
They are a club in crisis, in the midst of chaos, managerless, rudderless and yet somehow the one remaining English side in the Champions League and a side locked in battle with Tottenham and Arsenal for the chance to pursue the European Cup next season.
It probably explains why Terry put himself up for interview. Never has the modern Chelsea needed Mr Chelsea more and he answered their call despite the storm of controversy that continues to rage around him.
Despite the fact that a press conference where he might have to face some difficult questions was probably the last place he wanted to be.
But it was embarrassing for Di Matteo, reduced at Stamford Bridge to a bit-part player on what should have been the pinnacle of his managerial career.
He received only one question in English, all the others - all 14 or 15 of them - were directed at a man who has not given a press conference since he was stripped of the England captaincy for a second time.
By the end Di Matteo was staring into space, no doubt wondering why he agreed to share the podium.
This will play to a theory that has even been put forward by Wojciech Szczesny, the Arsenal goalkeeper who has suggested the senior players run Chelsea.
'Nonsense,' insisted Terry again, before insisting 'Robbie and the boys' had prepared the team for this evening's encounter.
'I know everyone keeps harping on about the senior players making the decisions here but, honestly, it's not the case,' added Terry. 'The board and the owner make the decisions completely.'
We get the picture.
