Chelsea are about to repeat a Frank Lampard decision that paves way for Cobham excellence

  It was a pleasant Boxing Day surprise to read the news that John Terry is set for a Chelsea return at the start of 2022. Since July,...

 

It was a pleasant Boxing Day surprise to read the news that John Terry is set for a Chelsea return at the start of 2022. Since July, the club icon has been out of work after he decided to step away from the assistant coaching role he held at Aston Villa under Dean Smith.

"It has always been my ambition to move into football management, and providing the right opportunity presents itself, I feel ready to take up such a challenge,"

Terry said in a statement released after his departure. In the months since it had been expected, Terry was waiting for a move into the role as head coach at a Championship level club. But this news, detailed in a piece by The Athletic, reveals that Terry will be returning to Chelsea for the first time in five years to become an assistant at the academy.

The piece also reports that former team-mate Petr Cech, now Chelsea's technical and performance advisor, plus loan technical officer Carlo Cudicini and academy director Neil Bath have helped make this return possible.

 Even though it's believed this new academy role will be on a part-time basis, having a figure of Terry's knowledge and aura back inside the club can only be a positive. In particular, he will be helping to coach in the coming months for the young players.

With all of that knowledge of the club's culture, the expectations placed upon them as Chelsea players, and a defensive mind few have ever possessed, it is clear why supporters are excited.

 Frank Lampard also helped coach Chelsea's youth teams when he took his coaching badges several years ago. Lampard at the time helped Jody Morris, who was the manager of the Under-18's. Lampard would then take Morris along with him as an assistant to Derby before returning to Stamford Bridge to fill the senior dugout in 2019.

It appears highly unlikely history repeats itself with Terry. Given the coach's strength in Thomas Tuchel and the freakish occurrence of a transfer ban, forging a unique set of circumstances that led to Lampard's appointment. Terry will also join one of his teammates in Ashley Cole, who is an academy coach at Cobham, as the presence of legends remains strong within the structure of the club.

Even with pure coaching acumen remaining vital, there is something to be said about maintaining the club's history and passing on knowledge to the next generation of players. Terry, Lampard, Cole and Cech have all worked in different roles in a non-playing capacity since their exits to help continue the amazing legacy.

 The players helped create the foundations in the first decade of Roman Abramovich's ownership. Terry's return can hopefully inspire some of Cobham's graduates whilst the Chelsea legend gains more coaching experience before making his desired move into management at a high level.