John Terry and his protective mask

Chelsea Football Club's captain, John Terry, is to play with a protective mask after fracturing his cheekbone last weekend. Apparently, this can take 6 weeks to heal, and he rund the risk of very serious, even permanent damage.

All of the media commentary, including quotes from his own manager (the words of a desparate man?) talk about his bravery, his commitment to the cause, etc. This is, of course, highly commendable, but it remindsme that sometimes athletes, because they are primed to be tough, to stay focused on the goal, and often to put the team above themselves, that they can make poor decisions - overtraining, playing through injury, perhaps forgetting about the needs of their family.

Like anyone else, elite athletes need balance. They need to know when to yield rather than tough it out; to take care of their own needs above the team; to take a break that wasn't part of the plan. To me, that's maturity, but unfortunately a manager under pressure, the lynchpin of the team in the run up to a critical game, won't always make the most sensible decision, with the longer term in mind. When they do take care of their own needs, players are often derided - the inference with Arjen Robben was that he wasn't really a team player, because he seemed to have a lot of niggling injuries - which suggest a short-term, narrow and, dare I say it, immature perspective?

Incidentally, I'm not saying that JT should definitely not play, which simply highlights the genuine difficulty of making decisions in such a high-pressure environment.

Rob Robson

Sport and Business Psychologist, Warwickshire