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John Terry believes every club in the country fear Chelsea again now that the Premier League trophy is back at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea scored a record 103 goals on their way to winning the title last season and have begun their defence in similar attacking fashion by netting 12 times in wins over West Brom and Wigan.
They are strongly tipped to maintain their 100 per cent record tomorrow when they face Stoke, who they beat 7-0 at Stamford Bridge in April.
Skipper Terry admits that Chelsea lost their ability to intimidate opponents during Manchester United's hat-trick of championships between 2007-09 but is confident they have their aura back now.
He said: “When [owner] Roman Abramovich first came in to Chelsea, we bought a lot of players and went on to win a lot of things.
“Speaking with the other players in the England camp, they were saying we were going to run away with the title for five, six, seven years. You're going to do all sorts, win this and win that.
“You could sense it in them that they were scared of Chelsea but in the last couple of years that had gone. I don't know why. Obviously we've not been as good as we could have been and not bought too many players but the way we played last season everyone should have respect for us again and that little bit of fear.
“Watching Manchester United win it for three years killed me and I was frustrated and hurt. If everyone felt like I did for three years, we should now realise how important it is to keep it here. I love lifting the trophy and winning things with this football club. I want to continue to do that.
“It is a lovely trophy and this season we go again. We have to retain the title and the FA Cup again. At the same time, I want to win the League and the Champions League in the same year.”
Terry is adamant coach Carlo Ancelotti deserves all the credit for turning Chelsea from a team labelled by some critics as boring' to the entertainers they are now.
He added: “It starts with the manager at the training ground and then on the pitch. In times before, we went two or three goals up and me and the other players in the backline would just keep the ball.
“The manager has come in and whether we are losing or drawing games, he just wants us to move the ball forward much more quickly.”
Chelsea have added only 23-year-old Brazilian Ramires, who will be officially unveiled at a press conference today, and 30-year-old Yossi Benayoun to the squad that was criticised for being too old following their early Champions League exit at the last 16 stage in February.
But Terry insists that the best is still to come from his side and added on Chelsea TV: “We're far from being too old. [Frank] Lampard is in his prime as is Didier [Drogba] and me. I'm 29 turning 30 this season. I feel great and the last couple of seasons I have played 120 games.
“I just hope to be able to continue to do that and to keep myself fit and sharp.
“It's just an excuse from outside the club to bring us down but that's where it's important that the club and the players stay together, stay friends and make sure that everything is okay here.”
Reader views (18)
John Terry is a vulgar twerp (can I say lout and thug here?).
No one is scared of him or Chelsea. However, I am concerned about his values, his morals and the bad example he sets to young people.
Sport might be played by John Terry, but sportsman he ain't and sporting is something he does not understand.
Chelsea is welcome to him.
- Lester May, Camden Town, London, 30/08/2010 17:21
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Poor deluded J.Terry .....The only thing running scared of you john boy are your team mates wives!!!!!!!!
- ciaran b, derry ireland, 30/08/2010 15:42
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Has JT ever won the Champions League?
Has JT ever won the World Cup?
Has JT ever won Player of the Year awards?
All of these questions have one thing in common: The answer is no, this means to me that John Terry is over rated, over paid and one thing is certain: He can't put aside his differences in the England team and work for the sake of his country.
- Marco Marboni, Kettering, UK, 30/08/2010 09:01
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"Anyone who disagrees with him doesn't know much about football."
and...
"If he "epitomises the most disliked Club in the Country" in some peoples' opinion, so be it. Those, generally blinkered, individuals will never have the wit, sagacity or grace to form any other view (ever)."
That, or they support another team perhaps? Get real. Chelsea are a good team - so what? That just means they are harder to beat. It also means the better teams out there 'up' their game against them. It also means that they will have a potentially dangerous self-belief against 'weaker' teams (that's nothing to do with skill - it's the human psyche at play). The only score in points that counts is at the end of the season. Until, then it's all to play for.
- Rogan, Irving, 30/08/2010 07:02
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@ST, London
You obviously have issues, do you really believe that you speak for the rest of the country?
See a shrink!
BTW what's "Errr"
- Drumboe, Copenhagen, 27/08/2010 22:28
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ST, London.
I didn't use the word "brave", where did that come from ? Best not to make things up.
John Terry missed one League game last season, without Makelele at all (of course) in front of him and with Michael Essien playing only a third of the games. Premiership Champions, with the second best defensive record, and FA Cup winners. Not much of an argument your's, is it ? Not very intelligent either.
Rather a bubble than a bigot.
- Charlie, Nr. Crackpot, North Yorkshire, 27/08/2010 19:05
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Well, no wonder opposition teams are running scared of you John when you can lunge in on a player with a leg-breaker tackle, over the ball and at knee height, then immediately go back for seconds hacking the same player down because he'd luckily escaped your attempt to end his career, and you don't even get a yellow!
N'Zogbia left his foot in on Terry and deserved a booking earlier in the game, but when the former England captain decides to take matters into his own hands and tries to maim a fellow professional he proves how little respect he deserves.
If he'd snapped N'Zogbia's leg in two or given him a nasty knee injury I wonder whether John Terry would actually feel any remorse. I wonder if the media would actually have had the guts to condemn him for it.
All I saw from the pundits was that Terry maybe shouldn't have lunged in the way he did, and that it was obviously in retaliation for N'Zogbia's earlier challenge. No condemnation. No criticism, other than that had he been sent off that would've affected the rest of Chelksi's game.
John Terry might not be so cocky if he was missing the next game, or the next three, as he deserves to be. But as long as Chelski continue to get preferential treatment from referees then it's no wonder teams are afraid of them.
- Steven, London, 27/08/2010 18:34
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i dont care i go to my local blue square south team bromley now. i feel much more involved in the club . ive had it with the premiership. reduce there crazy wages and put the money into the non leauge clubs also i love it when you can change ends at half time.judjing by the empty seats at the games it seems a lot are following me.
- c may, bromley, 27/08/2010 18:03
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Terry showed how 'world class' he was at the world cup. In fact he was found out as a second-rater. He only looks good when he has a world class player alongside him. When he doesn't he is rubbish.
- tony, london, 27/08/2010 17:54
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I HATE CHAVSKI
- Ned, Lettty Green, 27/08/2010 17:26
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Northern Charlie, I think perhaps you are a little biased, maybe? All "Brave" JT has ever done for England is lead us to mediocrity and embarrass the country with his off-field behaviour. And without Makelele and the Essien, Terry would have been exposed as the mid-level hoofer everyone outside of your little Chelsea bubble knows he is.
- ST, London, 27/08/2010 17:12
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" everyone should have respect for us again and that little bit of fear"
That's what Terry actually said. Anyone who disagrees with him doesn't know much about football.
- gaz, london, 27/08/2010 16:24
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Whilst most people don't like the man, I can't see any where in the article him saying 'You are all running scared' Yet another headline to grab attention with little substance. Well reported Simon Johnson.
- JK, UK, 27/08/2010 15:16
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How true, Blue Baby, how very true.
- Charlie, Nr. Crackpot, North Yorkshire, 27/08/2010 14:49
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John Terry polarises opinion, no question about that, and some of his off-field activities (alleged or otherwise) make him out to be a bit of a cad. However, on the pitch, he is a leader and would metaphorically run through a brick wall for the team (Chelsea or England), even his fiercest critics can't deny that fact. If they do then it just becomes bigotry.
The record books don't lie - he is Chelsea's Captain during the most successful period of the Club's history.......to date. How much money he earns linked with subjective opinions on his footballing ability are, frankly, irrelevant and pointless in equal measure.
If he "epitomises the most disliked Club in the Country" in some peoples' opinion, so be it. Those, generally blinkered, individuals will never have the wit, sagacity or grace to form any other view (ever). I, however, a supporter of the present Champions through thick and lots of thin for 50 plus years, take a more balanced position on opponents' achievements giving credit where or when it's plainly due.
A more restrained, composed thought process with, maybe, an alternative to the one-dimensional mindset so often demonstrated by many fans, I find, makes football and life in general a tad more agreeable. Try it.
Nobody's perfect, after all.
- Charlie, Nr. Crackpot, North Yorkshire, 27/08/2010 14:47
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Another helpful headline to attract the bitter, thanks for that.
- Blue Baby, London, 27/08/2010 14:02
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The only people who are scared are the ones who let their wives near this bloke.
He is one very unlikeable over-rated sneek,who is way over paid and thinks he is untouchable.
And you are the reason why some fans didlike Chelsea.
- james, croxley, 27/08/2010 13:16
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Errr, no, John, we're running away from you because you are a disgusting individual and you epitomise the most disliked club in the country.
- ST, London, 27/08/2010 12:51
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