“Sometimes he’d grab you by the neck” - John Obi Mikel shares what Chelsea legend John Terry always did when games got tough

John Obi Mikel has opened up on John Terry's leadership style at Chelsea. Terry, one of the finest defenders in Premier League history, captained the Blues for a major portion of his club career.

Apart from being an emphatic presence in defense, Terry also led his side from the front. Mikel, who played under Terry's captaincy, has now revealed what the Englishman used to do when the going got tough. Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, he said:

"I played with John Terry. When the game is going tough and if we're losing, in the dressing room, before the manager says something, he'll come to you."

Mikel added:

"He comes to you and goes like, 'Wake up, what the f*ck is wrong with you?'"

Mikel concluded:

"Sometimes he'd grab you by the neck."

Watch Mikel's words about John Terry (from 26:54):

John Terry is widely regarded as one of the best players in Chelsea's history. He was a wall-like presence in the defense and Terry also came up with crucial goals when his team needed them.

Terry made his senior debut in the 1998-99 season and went on to make 717 appearances for the club. He scored 67 goals and provided 17 assists for the Blues.

Terry was a serial winner, boasting a cabinet of 15 trophies with the club. He won five Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, and the Europa League among other trophies.

Terry left Chelsea in 2017 and played a season for Aston Villa before hanging up his boots. He played 78 matches for England during his international career.

Chelsea legend John Terry has been inducted to the Premier League Hall of Fame

Earlier this year, Chelsea legend John Terry made his way to the Premier League Hall of Fame. Andy Cole and Terry's former teammate Ashley Cole were the other inductees this year.

Terry was emotional after being honored for his achievements. The five-time Premier League winner issued an emotional statement, saying:

"I've cleaned the stadium, I've cleaned the toilets, I've washed the kit, I've done pretty much everything. It was an incredible journey for me. I am delighted we left a kind of legacy. I go back to Stamford Bridge now and bump into fans and they're very thankful for the memories that we created."

John Terry is a Chelsea icon and it's rare in modern football that a player of such quality spends so long in a single club. Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard were the other Hall of Fame nominees in 2024 but failed to make the cut through votings.