JT will be in right frame of mind

Posted Saturday, April 28, 2012 by The Sun

JT will be in right frame of mind
RED MIST ... but Roberto Di Matteo is backing John Terry to keep his cool

JOHN TERRY will not flinch in the face of loathing as he steels himself for another hate-filled 90 minutes of football tomorrow.

The Chelsea skipper is still trying to come to terms with the crushing disappointment of missing next month’s Champions League final following his Nou Camp red card on Tuesday.

Now he faces another trial by public opinion as he squares up to QPR in a bitter West London derby at the Bridge tomorrow.

Terry knows exactly what is coming from the visiting Rangers supporters after he was charged with racially abusing Anton Ferdinand when the teams last met in the Premier League.

And though he has always denied that accusation, he will not get the opportunity to try to clear his name for another 2½ months.

Yet Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo has no qualms about throwing him back into the eye of the storm, insisting: “I’ve absolutely no concerns about our captain.

“He’ll be in the right frame of mind to play. We’ve all had a couple of tough weeks but I don’t think that is going to influence John.

“He’s got a good few years of experience under his belt and he’s dealt with setbacks before. I’m sure he’ll be very good.

“He’ll be ready for this game just like he is ready for every game.

“All our fans will support the team and John is part of that team. So I have no concerns.”

In an ideal world, Chelsea would have preferred to rest their 31-year-old captain who is still playing with two broken ribs.

But with Gary Cahill and David Luiz both ruled out by hamstring injuries and Branislav Ivanovic banned, Terry is Chelsea’s only available centre-half.

At least there was one ray of sunshine for Terry this week when UEFA declared they would not prevent him from lifting the European Cup if Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on May 19, despite being suspended.

Di Matteo added: “That’s a good decision. UEFA have used a bit of common sense.

“John will be part of the expedition to Munich and he will be with the team.

“It’s just a shame that so many players will miss the final. Everyone involved in football would have liked to see both teams at full strength for a game like this.

“Maybe UEFA could look at their laws. I do feel disappointed that seven players from Chelsea and Munich will be suspended.”

Di Matteo’s immediate concern is beating relegation-threatened QPR tomorrow to maintain Chelsea’s push for a top-four finish.

And on the day that Pep Guardiola announced he was leaving Barcelona, the Blues’ interim boss refused to speculate on what the implications might be for his own long-term prospects.

As things stand, Di Matteo, 41, has just three more weeks of employment before Roman Abramovich decides who will manage his club next season.

The laid-back Italian said: “Thanks for your concern but I’ll be fine.

“I’m relaxed about the whole situation. I’ll just try my best until the end of the season and try to guide these players to some success.

“Seven weeks ago we were in a difficult moment and we’re not out of it.

“But we’ve given ourselves a chance and we love the challenges we have coming up.

“The players have done extremely well to be in two finals and challenging for the top four. When I decided to become No 2 last summer I didn’t look at it as a step backwards.

“I thought it was an exciting journey to work at a club that is in my heart.

“Sometimes in life you take one step back to take two steps forward.

“It’s still all about working on a daily basis to get the players at their best and give them the confidence to express their qualities.”