Former Chelsea captain John Terry has admitted he did not believe that either Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah or Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne would become world-class players.
Both spent time at Stamford Bridge when Terry was in the Blues’ starting eleven and, when asked whether he expected the pair to become Premier League legends, he replied:
“Absolutely not, no chance. It’s my one disappointment as captain. I softened as the years went on, but when those guys were there I was very disciplined in the group and very strong.”
“They probably needed an arm around the shoulder, a sit-down and a discussion and maybe I could’ve helped them settle in. I’m disappointed in myself as a captain and it’s a regret I have. I wouldn’t have said they would’ve gone to the levels they would’ve gone to, no chance.”
While some players would have been left devastated by the failure to break through at a club like Chelsea, Salah remained steadfast in his determination to succeed.
After spells in Italy with both Fiorentina and Roma, where he honed parts of his game, he returned to the Premier League in the summer of 2017 with something to prove.
The Egyptian international is just 4 away from scoring 200 goals for the Reds in the space of six years. During his time with the Reds, he has also won the PFA Player of the Year twice, and the Premier League Golden Boot three times.
On top of his personal achievements, Salah has won seven major trophies, and he will be hoping to add to his medal haul in the not-too-distant future. His failure to make the grade at Chelsea played a key role in the player he has become and Liverpool have been the main beneficiaries.
