Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville struggling to understand timing of Chelsea's John Terry announcement
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John Terry's former England team-mates Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have questioned the timing of Chelsea's announcement that the Blues' skipper will be leaving the club at the end of the season.
The Premier League leaders released the news yesterday afternoon, 48 hours after they lost to Manchester United at Old Trafford in a weekend that saw their lead at the top of the table cut to four points.
There are six games remaining in the league, with the Blues also facing title rivals Tottenham in the semi-final of the FA Cup this weekend.
With the season at such a critical juncture, the timing of the announcement has puzzled the former England duo.
(Photo: Getty Images)
"The timing for me is really strange," Neville said on Sky Sports.
"I don't understand the timing at all. I can't think why that suits Chelsea or the dressing room at all. Maybe John, but I'm sure John would sacrifice himself if they said: "look give me a couple of weeks".
"Maybe it was something pre-agreed before the game that they would do it. Maybe he has signed a pre-agreement with somebody and they couldn't keep it quiet any longer.
"I'm not sure who it suits and what the importance of doing it today is."
Carragher agreed with his Sky Sports sparring partner, highlighting Terry's experience.
"It could be a time for his actual experience, that you need there, that leadership because it's something that they lacked [on Sunday]. They weren't their normal selves," the former Liverpool man added.
"With John Terry I still think he has a lot offer as a player in the Premier League."
Neville echoed this sentiment, opining that Terry could be a useful player in the run-in.
"Chelsea haven't kept a clean sheet in quite a bit now. I think he could be useful for them.
"They're going to wobble, they're already wobbling a little bit, they're going to wobble a little bit more in these next few weeks, you better get him in the team to get you over the line.
"He has got the experience and the resilience, that sort of toughness that would get his team-mates over the line and drag them by the scruff of the neck.
"He might be Chelsea's most important player in these next few weeks."
Following the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday, the Blues host Southampton next Tuesday evening.