John Terry Ditches Dream Career Switch After ‘Baffling’ Rejections: "Didn’t Get a Sniff"

John Terry Ends Managerial Dreams After ‘Baffling’ Rejections
By Will Pickworth, Sports Reporter | Updated: 13:12 BST, 14 August 2025

John Terry has announced he’s abandoning hopes of becoming a manager, expressing frustration over his inability to secure coaching roles despite a legendary playing career. The 44-year-old Chelsea icon, who won 17 trophies with the Blues and captained England, revealed his disillusionment in an interview with The Sun.

Terry during his time as a coach at Aston Villa.

From Pitch to Dugout

After retiring in 2018, Terry transitioned to coaching as Dean Smith’s assistant at Aston Villa, helping the club earn promotion to the Premier League in 2019. Despite his success, Terry left Villa in 2021 and struggled to land a managerial role. Brief stints as Smith’s assistant at Leicester and a part-time consultancy in Chelsea’s academy followed, but no top job materialized.

“I’m done in terms of coaching,” Terry declared. “I’m enjoying my life working with Chelsea’s academy. My role’s part-time, and I love passing on my knowledge.”

Frustration and Rejection

Terry admitted he’d eagerly pursued managerial opportunities, even at lower-league levels, but faced repeated rejections. “I went for a couple of jobs, and those days are gone for me,” he said. “I didn’t even get a sniff. I had interviews, and it was just, ‘You have no experience.’”

The former defender expressed bewilderment at others landing roles ahead of him: “When I see some people managing today, it baffles me. I thought my player and assistant experience would be enough for a League One job.”

Terry now mentors young players at Chelsea’s academy.

Contrast with Peers

Terry’s career shift contrasts sharply with former teammates like Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, and Steven Gerrard, who have held multiple managerial roles. While Terry’s tactical acumen was praised during his Villa tenure, clubs hesitated to take a chance on his lack of solo experience.

“I have a lot of good attributes to be a manager,” he insisted. “It’s frustrating because I know I could succeed.”

A New Chapter

Though he’s stepped back from management, Terry remains involved in football. His work at Chelsea’s academy allows him to groom future stars, a role he describes as “incredibly fulfilling.” He also made a brief foray into the Baller League, a celebrity football initiative, earlier this year.

Reflecting on his journey, Terry remains pragmatic: “It hasn’t worked out, but I’m content. Family and youth development are my focus now.”

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