John Terry faces the chance to manage his first English club

As reported by The Sun, John Terry is targeted for the managerial role at Oxford United, a team competing in England's League One. This would mark his inaugural appointment as a head coach since starting his coaching journey in 2018.

John Terry is a legend of Chelsea specifically and English football generally In his 19-year tenure at Stamford Bridge, Terry was not only a defensive icon but also the inspirational leader during one of Chelsea’s most successful eras. Born in 1980, the centre-back played 492 matches for Chelsea, helping the London club secure 15 major trophies, including the Champions League and five Premier League titles. In the summer of 2017, Terry left Chelsea to join Aston Villa, before retiring in 2018 after losing the Championship play-off final in the 2017/18 season, which prevented Aston Villa from reaching the Premier League.

Unlike many former stars who step away from football after retirement, John Terry immediately plunged into coaching. Right after ending his playing career, he became an assistant coach at Aston Villa from 2018 to 2021, working alongside Dean Smith and helping the team gain promotion to the Premier League in the 2018/19 season. Later, the former Chelsea captain served as a part-time advisor for Chelsea’s youth academy from 2022 to 2023, before a brief stint as assistant coach at Leicester City from April to July 2023.

So far, after nearly seven years in coaching, John Terry has only held a head coach role once, leading the 26ers in the Baller League. This league is more recreational and friendly in nature, not part of the professional football system in England. Nevertheless, this experience gave Terry some practical insight into managing a team, something he has long aspired to since retiring.

The Sun reveals that John Terry is now close to a major opportunity to lead a professional club for the first time, as he is linked with the head coach job at Oxford United, currently competing in the Championship. In fact, Terry interviewed for this role in November 2023 but was not selected, with Oxford United instead choosing to trust Des Buckingham.

However, the club’s current situation is very precarious. Following a poor run of results, Oxford United has slipped into the relegation zone, sitting just above the drop zone mainly due to goal difference over the teams below.

Earlier in August, Terry openly expressed his frustration about his search for coaching opportunities in an interview with The Sun. The 45-year-old coach said:

“With my experience as an assistant coach in the Premier Leagueand the knowledge I gained as a player and captain for both Chelsea and England, I thought that would be enough to land a job. I’m not asking for a Premier League or Championship role, just a League One team.

But I haven’t even gotten a single chance. I go for interviews and the answer is always: ‘You lack experience.’ When I see some of the current coaches, I really find it hard to understand.”

These statements clearly show his ambition but also the frustration of a legend who once stood at the pinnacle, now struggling to find his place on the coaching bench. Still, if the opportunity at Oxford United materializes, it could be a crucial first step for John Terry to prove his capabilities in this new role. With his experience, leadership, and mindset forged at the highest level, fans have good reason to expect Terry to soon make his mark in the challenging world of management ahead.