John Terry ‘Heartbroken’ Over Chelsea Losing Rio Ngumoha, Compares Wonderkid to Hazard After Coaching Him in Academy
JOHN TERRY shares he was “devastated” when Rio Ngumoha departed Chelsea — likening Liverpool’s new starlet to a Blues legend.
At just 16 years and 361 days, Rio Ngumoha became Liverpool’s youngest-ever goalscorer by netting a thrilling 100th-minute winner against Newcastle on Monday night.
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Ngumoha, who grew up in Newham, joined Chelsea’s academy at the tender age of 8, having previously visited Arsenal and West Ham.
However, last summer, the talented player traded London blue for Merseyside red.
Chelsea officials were reportedly outraged and even went as far as to BAN Liverpool scouts from attending youth matches.
Terry, a legend at Stamford Bridge, coached Ngumoha during his under-14 years at Cobham and recognizes the immense potential the star possesses.
He mentioned that he maintains contact with Ngumoha, despite his move to Liverpool.
In an exclusive SunSport interview, Terry stated: “He is an ambitious young man who aspired to play first-team football and believed Liverpool was his rightful path into their first team.
“I still keep in touch with him, and he’s a truly remarkable player.”
“Losing players is common in academies, but there’s always those that make you think, ‘I really wish we hadn’t missed out on that one.’”
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Terry, aged 44, has returned to Chelsea for a few years as a mentor for academy players and realized Ngumoha was destined for greatness.
He has even witnessed flashes of brilliance akin to two of his legendary former teammates while observing the young player.
He shared: “We had a fantastic under-14 squad, and he was a key component of it.
“Such thrilling players are rare these days.”
“In the long run, losing talented players is something that happens, but there’s always one that sticks out as a ‘missed opportunity.’”
“He exudes confidence, comfortably handling the ball on the back foot, and has a vibrant personality.”
“Since the times of [Eden] Hazard and Joe Cole, players like him, instilling excitement in the fans, have been hard to find… It seems football has become somewhat static and overly tactical over recent years.”
There’s always one that you think, ‘I’m a bit gutted we missed out on that one’
John Terry
“He displayed such talent in the academy, and it’s unfortunate that we lost him.
I don’t want to burden him with expectations, but I wish him all the best because he’s a fantastic player.
He’s also a great kid, eager to learn and improve.”
After his remarkable goal, Ngumoha expressed: “I’m thrilled, and scoring the winner is incredible. What a moment; it feels special.”
“He simply looked at me, gestured for me to be ready. I had to come on and leave an impression. Thankfully, I did.”
“Usually, coaches instruct to ‘aim for the back post,’ so it was surreal that I managed to reach it.”