Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has decided on defender Gary Cahill to take over for the recently departed John Terry as the team’s captain.
It’s certainly a position that carries a good degree of prestige and responsibility, but one that Cahill, one of Chelsea’s most consistent performers, should be ready to step into right away. John Terry had previously been the team captain and leader, but with Terry receiving a limited amount appearances in the squad, Cahill has already had the chance to wear the armband for most of the last season.
Manager Antonio Conte talked about his decision to name Cahill as the team’s captain. “I think that it’s right to continue with Cahill, if he plays, it’s right he’s the captain. Why? Because he stayed in Chelsea for many years and played a lot of games and showed good characteristics to be this,” Cahill tells The London Evening Standard.
Conte also says that there are other players which could get the chance to captain the team in the near future. “I think also we can have other captains in our team, it could be [Cesar] Azpilicueta, [David] Luiz, and also, in the future, it could be Thibaut Courtois, Cesc Fabregas,” Conte tells reporters.
Antonio Conte also spoke about John Terry’s decision to leave the club. Terry ended up signing a contract with Championship team Aston Villa. Conte says he would have been happy to have Terry remain with the team, but that he understands with the defender made the decision, being forced to deal with a decrease in his role at the team.
“There was a possibility to stay with us because I was very happy to have another season with John,” he said. “But I respected his choice.He loves football, to enjoy training sessions, to push. I told him, ‘when you have this desire in your heart and your head, continue to play. When you decide to stop playing, you finish’.”
John Terry has talked about his dream of one day managing Chelsea and Conte believes that this is a goal which the defender can achieve. “He loves football, to enjoy training sessions, to push. I told him, ‘when you have this desire in your heart and your head, continue to play. When you decide to stop playing, you finish’.”
