TERRY: CARRA'S THE BEST IN THE WORLD
Paul Eaton 23 January 2008
John Terry today paid tribute to Jamie Carragher's achievement of reaching 500 games in a Liverpool shirt and insisted: "He's been the best defender in the world over the last four or five years."
Speaking exclusively to LFC TV for our 'Carra: 500 not out' documentary which was aired for the first time last night and which is repeated today at 11am GMT, the Chelsea captain doesn't hide his admiration for the Liverpool defender and believes his performances over recent years warrant him being compared with anybody in world football.
"To reach 500 games is a huge achievement," said Terry. "I've been at Chelsea a long time and am still nowhere near that total. He is a credit to himself.
"I personally think that over the last four or five years he has been the best defender in the world. He's been consistent in the Premier League, he's never injured, he always gives one hundred per cent, he's a good reader of the game, he's quick and is good in the air. He has everything you need to be a world class defender and you also have to look at what he's achieved in the Champions League with Liverpool.
"For a centre half he's also great on the ground as well. He knows when to get the ball away, when to clear his lines.
"He also never stops talking to his team-mates and that's a great thing to have. Even when you watch games on the television it's always his voice you can hear."