Terry backs Grant on selection policy

Chelsea captain John Terry insists coach Avram Grant was right to keep his team selection to himself until hours before the kick-off as the Blues begin to dust themselves down from their Carling Cup final defeat by Tottenham.

Goals from Dimitar Berbatov and Jonathan Woodgate earned Tottenham their first trophy since they claimed the Worthington Cup against Leicester in 1999.

Terry said: "The manager keeps it all very close to his chest. None of us knew until Sunday, and that is how it has been in every game."

"So there was no change or excuse," he added. "That is the way it has got to be. It keeps everyone on their toes - and as a group of players, we have to deal with it."

Terry's place in the starting line-up, along with that of his England team-mate Frank Lampard, had been under scrutiny ever since the pair were omitted from Grant's side for the Champions League clash with Olympiacos five days earlier.

But Terry insists their preparations for the final were not hampered by the speculation surrounding their places in the team.

"I am gutted, and the lads are gutted inside. I just can't believe how we've played. They started a lot brighter than us, but at 1-0 up we looked in control. But then things were spoiled," he said.

"After they started well, I thought we soaked up a lot of their pressure. We didn't really keep the ball as well as we can do - and overall we were not at the races.

"That is the most disappointing thing - going to some tough places to get here and blowing it on the day. It is not a good feeling believe me. It was very disappointing."