Former Chelsea and England captain John Terry recently retired from playing at the age of 37 years-old. His last club was Championship Aston Villa, who he helped to the play-off final last season, only for the Villans to suffer defeat at the hands of Fulham.

He left the Midlands club in the summer. However, he has now away for long, as Terry has now returned to the club as an assistant coach to new Villa boss Dean Smith. The Villans are now one of the favourites for promotion to the Premier League this season.

Always a leader on the pitch

John Terry had his critics throughout his career for his behaviour on and off the pitch. The 37-year-old has been involved in a number of controversial issues off the pitch, which has led people into questioning his character. However, one thing he could not be criticised for was his leadership abilities and his will to win on the football pitch.

Terry was an old-fashioned captain, who regularly bossed his teammates around and was like a manager on the pitch. His character meant that very few teammates would argue with the centre-back.

Even in his early days in football, he seemed to be a leader. As he got older and gained more experience, he refined his leadership skills. The fact that he was captain of both club side Chelsea and England says a lot about how highly thought of he was within the game.

The assistant role is a good learning experience

John Terry has enjoyed a trophy-laden career with Chelsea. There is very little he has not experienced during a playing career that spanned nearly two decades.

However, he is a complete novice when it comes to the world of coaching. Terry has only just hung his boots up, so may take some time to get accustomed to his new role within the game.

In new Villa boss Dean Smith, he has a mentor who is still learning is his trade, but who has already proven his managerial acumen in the lower leagues with the likes of Brentford and Walsall.

No doubt being the assistant boss at a big club such as Aston Villa will be a very good learning experience for Terry. It is something that should hold him in good stead for his future career.

Will become a boss at some stage

Terry has already stated that he hopes to one day become a boss in his own right. Smith may want to watch his back considering Terry’s record of misbehaviour to work colleagues.

The fact that the former Chelsea captain wants to be a boss one day is unsurprising. He was the sort of player that always seemed destined for management, just like former England teammate Steven Gerrard.

For now, Terry is the assistant boss at Villa. However, it would have been a major surprise if John Terry does not eventually become a boss in the near future. In many ways, it would be a shame if he did not, as his well-known leadership skills would be going to waste if he left the game completely.

Is job as Villa assistant boss the first step in John Terry’s managerial career?