The time has come for those who truly love English soccer to embrace John Terry as a titan of a generation rather than continuing to preface any praise of him with politically correct remarks. Terry is a one-club man who has now captained four Premier League title-winning clubs. He is hands down the best central defender England has produced in the last two decades.

Controversies about Terry, such as his alleged use of a racial slur toward QPR defender Anton Ferdinand and his pocketing cash in exchange for giving a tour of the Chelsea training ground, remain but they shouldn’t be the takeaway points from a wonderfully consistent playing career.

In England, a tendency among football journalists is to eat one’s own, or to put players that are English under a greater, negative microscope. However, you hardly ever hear about Terry’s financial efforts to save the prominent London youth club Senrab whose players are mostly black and how the club helps keep local youths out of gangs. Senrab’s alumni include Ledley King and Jermain Defoe.

This season under Jose Mourinho, a manager who unlike the young Andre Vilas-Boas understands Terry’s game and would not try and have him change for the sake of a system, the former England captain has brilliant, and has arguably been the single most influential player in the entire Premier League.

Terry’s steady influence helped keep the Blues organized at the back and quickly play the ball forward when Chelsea regained possession. In the second half of the season, with Mourinho’s side forced to grind out many results especially away from home, Terry’s positioning sense, aerial presence and leadership became trademarks of a gutsy and title-winning Blues side that ultimately lapped the Premier League field securing the title with five matchdays remaining for their nearest rival, Arsenal.

After winning the title on Sunday, Terry — with great dignity and class — gave condolences to Rio Ferdinand, his former England central defensive partner, who lost his wife due to cancer on Friday. Rio Ferdinand is the brother of Anton Ferdinand and ironically became the captain of England when Terry was stripped of the position in early 2010.

Terry will never be truly loved by the masses but he can be appreciated for what he is – a great footballer, who has made some personal mistakes but is a rare commodity among English players. In an era when England is producing less and less world-class talent, Terry along with Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney stand alone as great English titans. Ironically, both have been torn down by elements of the English press who seem more committed to ripping footballers for the mistakes of youth than lauding the talents and sporting achievements of these same individuals.

Chelsea’s fourth league title in this contemporary era owes itself greatly to the grittiness and leadership of its captain John Terry. It is no coincidence that Terry has been around for all four titles, playing a vital role each and every time the Blues have lifted the Premier League title.