It’s been nearly four years since John Terry last featured for the English national team, but the former Three Lions captain could be recalled by new England boss Sam Allardyce.
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Terry would have to accept an invitation into Allardyce’s first England squad, of course, should it come. The camp in question is but a week away, ahead of England’s opening 2018 World Cup qualifier, away to Slovakia on Sept. 4.
Asked on Monday whether or not he would consider recalling the 35-year-old Chelsea center back, Allardyce could have simply said, “No, I won’t be doing that. Next question, please,” but instead… — quotes from the Guardian:
“Maybe so. I think it depends on what John said. Maybe if I get the opportunity I might have to give him a ring but until I come to that selection or that process, we’ll wait and see.
“I don’t know what the political side of that might mean, if there is a political side. I’ll have to have that conversation if I feel that John Terry may be a possibility.”
Here’s the thing: England’s center back situation is pretty dire — Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling are fine enough players, but international caliber? Come on — and has been for quite some time — since Terry’s unceremonious departure, actually — but if you’re going to recall Terry based on his legacy as one of England’s best-ever defenders, you might as well do the same for Rio Ferdinand because he was also great once upon a time and the two of them were even greater together.
Terry enjoyed something of a career renaissance two seasons ago, in 2014-15 when he appeared in all 38 Premier League games for the first time in his career, but he’s now 18 months older, and as we know, the drop-off at the tail end of a player’s career is steep. The last thing Chelsea would want Terry doing right now is returning to international football.
