Chelsea skipper John Terry hails Mourinho impact

Chelsea skipper John Terry has credited Jose Mourinho for reviving his career.

Terry’s Chelsea career looked to be drawing to a close during Rafael Benitez’s brief reign at Stamford Bridge, while Mourinho refused to offer him any assurances following his return in 2013.

However, he came close to replicating the form that saw him become an integral part of Mourinho’s team during his first stint and he looks set to finish his career at the club.

Terry admits his return to form is down to Mourinho’s management style.

“He made a group of players — good players at the time — feel like we were the best in the world. Whether we were or not, we felt it. You see that in the performances as well,” Terry told the club’s official website.

“You could immediately tell he knew how to draw the best out of everyone. So individually, I remember when he first signed, you get a text message or a phone call from him. Even when he came back this time, you get that little phone call saying: ‘I need you to hit the ground running. People have written you off.’

“It’s just inspiring and, for me, there’s no better at drawing the best out of people than Jose Mourinho. He knows what buttons to press. It goes unnoticed a little bit. He knows what makes me tick. He knows if I make a mistake he can tell me — some players you can’t. It’s handling different players differently and he does it superbly.”

Terry has made it clear the he wants to sign a new contract with Chelsea as soon as possible and the club’s Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain confirmed his desire to continue playing.

“I’m not sitting here saying I didn’t lose sleep after the Paris Saint-Germain game recently — I didn’t sleep a wink all night,” he said.

“It would be horrible if I did. If I got home and went to sleep, for me something would be telling me, ‘You know what? Time’s up.’ If you’re not caring, something’s gone.

“But I do realise as well that there’s a game three or four days later and you have to pick yourself up, you have to go again. You can’t dwell on it. When I was younger I dwelt too much on a performance and so the next game suffered. Now you realise games come thick and fast. Move on – there are bigger and better things ahead, and for sure at this club trophies are going to be coming.”

Credit: Michelle/Setanta Sport