Ancelotti plans Terry talks

Blues boss adamant club captain's status remains the same

Last updated: 7th February 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Ancelotti plans Terry talks

Terry: Stripped of armband

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Carlo Ancelotti insists John Terry's status within the Chelsea camp has not been damaged by recent revelations about his private life, but he is planning talks with the sacked England captain.

Terry was stripped of the Three Lions skipper's armband on Friday after Fabio Capello decided to act on newspaper reports of the centre-back's alleged affair with the ex-girlfriend of international team-mate Wayne Bridge.

Chelsea host Arsenal on Sunday in a crucial match at the top of the Premier League and Terry is set to make his first appearance since being demoted from his role as England captain.

But Ancelotti still has complete faith in the 29-year-old and is prepared to hold discussions with the player to help him through a turbulent period in his career.

Chelsea's manager said in The People: "What we think about John this week is the same as we thought last week and we will think the same next week. There is no change.

Behaviour

"He is a very important player for Chelsea because we know he was born into this club.

"I see John Terry at work every day on the training ground and there has been no change in his behaviour on the pitch.

"I haven't got a problem with John. We could have a problem if John came to work and didn't perform well, but he has performed well in this period."

Ancelotti added: "It has been a surprise to me to see so much interest about someone's private life.

"We have photographers and helicopters at training all the time. Can we train with helicopters above us every day until the end of the season? Maybe we'll have to start to use a megaphone."

Honour

Ancelotti continued: "I had no reason to talk with him before, his personal problems were his own. Now he has lost the captaincy I will talk with him. I will be there for him because I know what that honour meant to him."

Meanwhile, Ancelotti admits that he is concerned by the threat of title rivals Manchester United's inform striker Wayne Rooney.

The Italian said in the Daily Star on Sunday: "To me, Rooney is the greatest player in the world at the moment. So strong, so powerful."

He added: "I don't think I have seen many better than Rooney. He has not just improved himself, but he has improved Manchester United.

"The world's best player is also the biggest threat to us."