Earlier this week Aston Villa ended all speculation by appointing Dean Smith as their next manager and John Terry as his assistant.
While the majority of the Villa fans are over the moon to see Terry returning to the club and taking a crucial role, there are others who feel it can be a dangerous cocktail. Managers are usually given the licence to bring their own backroom staff with them, but here Smith was told that he will have to work with the Chelsea legend who has no prior experience in management.
Merson says Smith ticks all the boxes but he is not convinced with the appointment of Terry. He doubts whether Terry will be consulted closely and whether the pair can work together.
The former Arsenal player predicts that there will be a problem in the dressing room. The players will respect Terry more than the manager.
Merson feels that it could be a big problem for Terry as well to command the respect from his players. He was a player for the club last season, and now he’ll have to get serious with the players which won’t be an easy transition.
“I can’t imagine in my wildest dreams that he told them he would only take the job if Terry was part of the package,” wrote Merson for the Daily Star.
“He’s taking his own assistant with him as well, someone he already knows and trusts. You have to wonder where that leaves Terry. Will he be consulted closely? Will they get on?
“The dressing room will be a problem, too. Those players will respect Terry more than they will Smith. Terry has won everything there is to win and they already know him from last season when he was captain.
“It’s going to be an issue for him, too, because he was one of them last season. They were his mates. Now he’s got to get serious with them. That’s not an easy transition. It either goes really well or it lasts six months and goes badly wrong.”
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