John Terry is facing an indefinite spell on the sidelines as doctors work to cure a long-term nerve problem in his right leg.
The news is the latest blow for Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, who saw his side beaten 3-0 at home by Sunderland on Sunday.
Ancelotti is also dealing with persistent injuries to Frank Lampard and Michael Essien, and is playing Didier Drogba despite a bout of malaria.
Now he faces being without his captain Terry for weeks — maybe even months — as the defender attempts to get to the bottom of an injury that has been troubling him since the end of last season.
Terry said: ‘I have been struggling with a nerve pain coming from the top of my leg down to my hamstring and to the outside of my calf. It started towards the end of last season but with Chelsea being in the mix until the day of the FA Cup final, I didn’t have the chance to rest or pull out of games. Then I went straight to the World Cup with England.
‘I had three weeks’ rest after that and thought I would come back without it, but since then it has got worse and worse. It has been manageable up until the last two weeks but when we played Fulham I stretched to win the ball against Clint Dempsey and it got a lot worse.
‘It is at a point where I can’t carry on with it. I used to be able to make it through games because the adrenaline gets going and you blank the pain out, but now there really is no decision to make.
‘After games I am in agony and not sleeping at all. I used to play with pain at seven out of 10. Now? It’s 10 out of 10. I need to take a few weeks rest, see a couple of specialists and solve the problem.’
Terry will attend a meeting at Chelsea’s training ground today to discuss the future treatment of his condition.
He may fly to Italy later this week to see a specialist team recommended by Ancelotti, and has also been referred to nerve specialists in London.
An epidural treatment given on Friday failed to work, taking him out of the defeat against Sunderland and England’s friendly with France at Wembley tomorrow.
Terry explained: ‘The epidural could have helped with the pain for between six weeks and two years. They said it works on 75 per cent of cases, but unfortunately I am in the other 25 per cent.
‘Basically, I am trying whatever is suggested. I’m at my wits’ end. I know I won’t play on Saturday against Birmingham City, but beyond that there are no clues. It could be weeks, it could be months.
‘Everybody is coming up with different names and I’ve said I will go anywhere if someone can solve the problem.
'The pain is dreadful and it can come on when I am driving, when I am having dinner, even in bed.
'People are saying it could be my posture, but nobody really knows. Every time I jog or warm up, I don’t feel right. It has been that way for a while, but this is different now.
'Other players have recommended guys, and I’ve seen a couple already, but it is just a question of finding one who can solve the problem.
‘Any ideas anybody has had, I’ve tried them. There are guys in London who can do nerve tests on machines, and guys in Italy who look for problems higher up the body.
That is where I am at right now, just trying to find out what is wrong.’
Ancelotti had said Terry missed the Sunderland game with a back injury but Terry revealed it was a slip of the tongue.
‘I had a back injury a few years back and as soon as I miss a game everyone refers to it, but this is not the same problem,’ he added.
‘Rio Ferdinand says everyone jumps to the same conclusion about him, because he had back issues. The manager knows exactly what is wrong because he has offered to help.’
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=842977&sec=england&cc=5739
Now this is real concern for Chelsea. Without Terry their defense looks very shaky. With the next 5 fixtures being
Birmingham v Chelsea
Newcastle v Chelsea
Chelsea v Everton
Tottenham v Chelsea
Chelsea v Man Utd
Arsenal v Chelsea
I think Chelsea will struggle during his absense. Ancelotti said He will miss friendly against France but will be back against Birmingham, but Terry himself ruled out of Birmingham game.
The news is the latest blow for Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, who saw his side beaten 3-0 at home by Sunderland on Sunday.
Ancelotti is also dealing with persistent injuries to Frank Lampard and Michael Essien, and is playing Didier Drogba despite a bout of malaria.
Now he faces being without his captain Terry for weeks — maybe even months — as the defender attempts to get to the bottom of an injury that has been troubling him since the end of last season.
Terry said: ‘I have been struggling with a nerve pain coming from the top of my leg down to my hamstring and to the outside of my calf. It started towards the end of last season but with Chelsea being in the mix until the day of the FA Cup final, I didn’t have the chance to rest or pull out of games. Then I went straight to the World Cup with England.
‘I had three weeks’ rest after that and thought I would come back without it, but since then it has got worse and worse. It has been manageable up until the last two weeks but when we played Fulham I stretched to win the ball against Clint Dempsey and it got a lot worse.
‘It is at a point where I can’t carry on with it. I used to be able to make it through games because the adrenaline gets going and you blank the pain out, but now there really is no decision to make.
‘After games I am in agony and not sleeping at all. I used to play with pain at seven out of 10. Now? It’s 10 out of 10. I need to take a few weeks rest, see a couple of specialists and solve the problem.’
Terry will attend a meeting at Chelsea’s training ground today to discuss the future treatment of his condition.
He may fly to Italy later this week to see a specialist team recommended by Ancelotti, and has also been referred to nerve specialists in London.
An epidural treatment given on Friday failed to work, taking him out of the defeat against Sunderland and England’s friendly with France at Wembley tomorrow.
Terry explained: ‘The epidural could have helped with the pain for between six weeks and two years. They said it works on 75 per cent of cases, but unfortunately I am in the other 25 per cent.
‘Basically, I am trying whatever is suggested. I’m at my wits’ end. I know I won’t play on Saturday against Birmingham City, but beyond that there are no clues. It could be weeks, it could be months.
‘Everybody is coming up with different names and I’ve said I will go anywhere if someone can solve the problem.
'The pain is dreadful and it can come on when I am driving, when I am having dinner, even in bed.
'People are saying it could be my posture, but nobody really knows. Every time I jog or warm up, I don’t feel right. It has been that way for a while, but this is different now.
'Other players have recommended guys, and I’ve seen a couple already, but it is just a question of finding one who can solve the problem.
‘Any ideas anybody has had, I’ve tried them. There are guys in London who can do nerve tests on machines, and guys in Italy who look for problems higher up the body.
That is where I am at right now, just trying to find out what is wrong.’
Ancelotti had said Terry missed the Sunderland game with a back injury but Terry revealed it was a slip of the tongue.
‘I had a back injury a few years back and as soon as I miss a game everyone refers to it, but this is not the same problem,’ he added.
‘Rio Ferdinand says everyone jumps to the same conclusion about him, because he had back issues. The manager knows exactly what is wrong because he has offered to help.’
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=842977&sec=england&cc=5739
Now this is real concern for Chelsea. Without Terry their defense looks very shaky. With the next 5 fixtures being
Birmingham v Chelsea
Newcastle v Chelsea
Chelsea v Everton
Tottenham v Chelsea
Chelsea v Man Utd
Arsenal v Chelsea
I think Chelsea will struggle during his absense. Ancelotti said He will miss friendly against France but will be back against Birmingham, but Terry himself ruled out of Birmingham game.
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