The incident involving captain Terry and his fellow stars being allocated cheap seats on a long-haul flight, while the club’s youngsters were seated in first class, provoked outrage. Terry described it as a method by Villas-Boas to assert that no player was bigger than him. He insisted that the first team players should be in first class while the younger players should be in economy. To Terry, this was a way of maintaining the hierarchy within the club, and he felt it was important for the young players to be in their rightful place.
He stated that it was the manager’s decision to make the change and emphasized that the first team players had earned the right to be in first class. Terry’s stance was in support of upholding the established hierarchy within the club. He believed that the first team players had earned the right to be in first class and that it was essential for the manager to make the decision regarding the seating arrangements. While the young players were willing to move back to economy, Terry made it clear that their decision was not the important factor.
He believed that the manager needed to assert the hierarchy, and ensured that the change came from the manager. Ultimately, the first team players were moved forward with the younger players being seated in economy, as Terry believed this was the appropriate arrangement. Terry reflected on the rumors surrounding player power at Chelsea during his time there, stating that it was not the case. He emphasized that the manager and the club owner were in charge, and the responsibility of the players was limited to the dressing room.
He wanted to make it clear that the structure within the club was well-defined.
