Former
Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell believes incoming boss Antonio Conte must
make keeping captain John Terry at the club a priority.
Italy coach Conte will replace interim manager Guus Hiddink at Stamford
Bridge following this summer's European Championships.
Blues skipper Terry announced earlier in the year that he would leave the
club at the end of this season, after failing to agree a new deal.
Speaking on
Sky Sports Now, Sidwell thinks Terry's experience is
invaluable, and that Conte should seek to extend the 35-year old's 18-year
career with the club.
"The main one is John Terry - there's no doubt Conte will have a chat with
him, first and foremost, to see what his thoughts are," said Sidwell, who
spent the 2007-08 season at Stamford Bridge.
"You know what you're going to get from him. He's a leader on the pitch, and
always puts himself on the line with the club. The thing you wonder with
John is, what are they going to offer?
"Of course he's still good enough. Last year he was fantastic - he had Matic
in front of him, but this year, Matic has not been at his best, which has
left John a little exposed.
"He's one of the better centre-halves in the country, there's been talk of
having him back in the England squad for the Euros."
Sidwell is expecting Conte to offer Chelsea something similar to former
manager Jose Mourinho, who was sacked in December.
The Brighton midfielder, however, believes the Chelsea players did Mourinho
no favours earlier in the season, and has fears the same could happen to
Conte if things do not go the team's way.
"He's quite similar to Jose. He's very meticulous and demands a lot from his
players. The only thing that worries me with the set of players is that a
lot of them just downed their tools with Mourinho," added Sidwell.
"Who's to say they're not going to do that next year when this man is in
charge? When he demands things, drags people off at half-time in big games,
or makes statements?
"It's going to be similar to what Mourinho demanded. It's down to the
players to adapt to that and prove their worth in the team. I don't think he
will take any prisoners along the way."
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