John Terry leaves Aston Villa after three years as Chelsea legend looks ahead to management

Aston Villa have announced assistant manager John Terry has left the club after three years on Dean Smith‘s coaching team.

The Chelsea legend revealed he made the decision due to his desire to be a manager himself in the future, and so will travel Europe to visit various clubs as he looks to move into management.

Terry has been linked with several clubs in the past, having made no secret of his desire to make the next step. Despite him saying he will now take some time out to spend learning across the continent, bookmakers have already placed manager-less Swansea as the odds-on favourites for his first job in management.

John Terry has left Aston Villa as he looks to make the step into management in the future

The Chelsea legend has made the decision to quit the club just two weeks before new season

Terry explained his thinking behind the decision to quit Villa, just two weeks before the new season gets underway.

‘It has been a tremendous honour and privilege to have spent these last three years at Aston Villa, but I feel now is the right time to make the extremely difficult decision to move on,’ Terry said.

‘I want to be as respectful to the manager and everyone at Aston Villa as I can and, having given my future serious consideration over the summer, I genuinely don’t feel it is fair to move into a new season without being certain of seeing that through.

‘My immediate plan is to spend some quality time with my family and, thereafter, hopefully take up some invitations to visit clubs and managers around Europe to develop my aim and objective of becoming a manager.

‘It has always been my ambition to move into football management and, providing the right opportunity presents itself, I feel ready to take up such a challenge.’

Terry played for Villa in the Championship in the 2017/18 season before retiring from football

The 40-year-old spent a year at Villa as a player in the 2017/18 season, with the club losing in the play-off final that campaign to Fulham.

Terry announced his retirement from football later that summer, and was appointed as Smith’s assistant shortly after.

‘I’m disappointed to lose John as part of my coaching staff but fully understand and respect his decision,’ Smith said.

‘John has played a huge role in the success the club has enjoyed over the last few years and has been very supportive of myself throughout that period. I have no doubts he will go on to be a first-class manager in his own right and wish him well for the future.’

The 40-year-old was brought in by Dean Smith as his assistant at the club in October 2018

So whose job could Terry take?

Swansea (1/8)

The Championship side are currently without a manager after Steve Cooper left by mutual consent last week, following successive play-off finishes but ultimately failure when it comes to returning to the Premier League. Betfair have them as the heavy favourites for Terry’s next destination.

He has experience of helping a club to get promoted after doing so as assistant at Villa, but an immediate move into management would go against what Terry has said about now taking time out of the game.

Crystal Palace (10/1)

Patrick Vieira is leading the youth revolution at Selhurst Park, but the bookmakers aren’t convinced it’s going to last very long.

The Frenchman has only been in charge a matter of weeks, but Palace are the second favourites to be Terry’s entry into management.

Bookmakers believe Terry could be replacing Patrick Vieira at Selhurst Park in the near future

Aston Villa (16/1)

Villa are the shock favourites in the market, with it a 16/1 shot that Terry’s next permanent job is the one Dean Smith currently holds.

After an impressive campaign last season and strong work already done in the transfer market, it would take something dramatic for Terry to turn up as the main man at Villa Park anytime soon.

Fulham (20/1)

Scott Parker left Fulham over the summer after the club were relegated from the Premier League last season, as he took over at Bournemouth.

Former Everton boss Marco Silva is now in charge at Craven Cottage, but the west London side are seen as the fourth favourites to place their faith in Terry.

West Brom (25/1)

Similarly to Fulham, West Brom have seen a change of managers after relegation last season as they look to bounce straight back into the top-flight.

Valerien Ismael may have only just taken charge but it’s 25/1 that Terry ends up at West Brom

Valerien Ismael is their new boss, but the club’s owners have shown in the past they are not afraid to pull the trigger quickly if results on the pitch aren’t up standard.

QPR (40/1)

Mark Warburton has now been in charge for more than two years at QPR, making him their longest-serving manager since Ian Holloway left 15 years ago.

But Betfair have it as a 40/1 shot that Terry will put an end to that some time in the near future.

Chelsea (50/1)

The romantic choice. Thomas Tuchel may have a lot of credit in the bank after winning the Champions League, but it’s a job Terry will surely have his eye on.

It may not be his first in management, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he followed Frank Lampard and one day took charge at his former club.