Swansea boss Rodgers shows support for Chelsea’s Terry

Swansea City manager Brendan Rodgers has backed Chelsea captain John Terry ahead of his first court date this week.

The Blues defender has been charged for racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand with the first hearing in the case scheduled to take place at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Rodgers, who used to serve as Chelsea’s youth and reserve team manager, knows Terry well and is confident he will get off without punishment as he is not a racist.

"He is a strong personality, John is a good man and from my time knowing him, and what he is being talked about in terms of the charges against him, I can safely say in my period of time working with him that he is not a racist, if that's what he's been pointed the finger as being,” he said.

"I have absolutely great confidence that is the case. He has been a wonderful leader for Chelsea and I have known him off the field as well and the number of players he helped evolve, dealing with ethnic minorities young and old, it was during the time I was there and I witnessed it, so I would say that is not the case with John.

"He is a public figure, he is the national captain and there have been a number of incidents that have drawn him to the publicity.

"But from my own experience he is a great man, off the field I had a terrific relationship with him through good and bad times, it wasn't always all smiles. I was able to speak my mind with him at times and tell him how I felt and I am sure he would say the same thing.

"I always found his communication open. He is a lover of football and he is happiest when he is on the field or with his family, and I have nothing but high praise for him as in that period when I was there he was a real icon for the football club on and off the field. I found him a terrific man.

"From my experience of knowing him quite well over that period of time I would say he is not a racist."

 

Click here to reach the No1 destination for hard news and exciting gossip on Chelsea