John Terry quits as Aston Villa assistant coach

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) - Former Chelsea and England captain John Terry has left his role as assistant coach of Premier League team Aston Villa in order to 'œdevelop my aim and objective of becoming a manager.'ť

Terry joined the club on a one-year contract as captain in 2017 and played 32 games in that season. He then returned to Villa a year later, becoming an assistant in manager Dean Smith's coaching team.

'œI want to be as respectful to the manager and everyone at Aston Villa as I can and, having given my future serious consideration over the summer, I genuinely don't feel it is fair to move into a new season without being certain of seeing that through,'ť the 40-year-old Terry said in a statement published on the club's website on Monday.

'œMy immediate plan is to spend some quality time with my family and, thereafter, hopefully take up some invitations to visit clubs and managers around Europe to develop my aim and objective of becoming a manager. It has always been my ambition to move into football management and, providing the right opportunity presents itself, I feel ready to take up such a challenge.'ť

Terry spent 20 years as a player at Chelsea from 1997-2017. He made 717 appearances, the third highest total for the club, winning the Premier League five times, the FA Cup five times, the League Cup three times, the Champions League in 2012 and the Europa League in 2013.

The former defender also won 78 caps for England.

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