Former Chelsea and Ireland full back Paddy Mulligan believes John Terry could still have been an influential figure a the club beyond this season.
The club captain will leave on amicable terms at the end of the current campaign after struggling for game-time. Having come through the club's youth ranks and winning Premier Leagues, FA Cups and the Champions League, it brings the curtain down on a 22 year association with Chelsea FC.
While the veteran 36 year old divides opinion - Chelsea fans mostly adore him and rival supporters loath him more often than not - his ability as a leader and reader of the game at the back is unquestioned.
Speaking to Newstalk.com, Paddy feels Terry could have remained a vital voice in the dressing room for one more campaign.
"I would think that he would have been of paramount importance for the dressing room for instance, especially these days and especially when you have the likes of David Luiz who I don't rate at all no matter how many people say he's had a great season," said Paddy.
"John Terry should be allowed go and coach him and go and coach those centre halves into the correct positions and hopefully Conte will go and allow that, if he isn't already allowing that."
Chelsea suffered a loss at Manchester United on Sunday which sees their lead at the top cut to four points, leaving London rivals Tottenham with an opportunity to potentially overhaul them in the final run in to the season.
But Paddy still backs Chelsea to hold on and seal their second title in three years.
"I still think they'll scrape it. They're making life very difficult for themselves because the Palace game they should have been out of sight and they weren't," he said.
"They're all talking about the Mourinho masterclass. There was no masterclass involved as far as I was concerned because all he did was put Herrera on Hazard and Hazard hadn't got the football intelligence to take Herrera away from a midfield position out wide on the right or out wide on the left - or even go up front with Costa."
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