What Does Antonio Conte's Appointment Mean for John Terry's Chelsea Future?

Chelsea announced Antonio Conte as their next permanent manager on a three-year deal on Monday. The Italian will take over at Stamford Bridge at the conclusion of Italy's participation at Euro 2016.

The hunt for Jose Mourinho's successor may have ended, yet it's only the beginning for Chelsea as they attempt to turn around their fortunes after a disastrous campaign.

Conte has a long road ahead of him in that regard, with a decision over the future of John Terry high on his list of priorities.

Chelsea have long maintained that the club would only make a decision on offering their captain a new contract beyond this summer when a new manager was in place. With Conte confirmed, where now for the club and Terry?

In terms of the leadership qualities Conte craves in his players, Terry is perfect. He's been the linchpin of Chelsea's success for well over a decade, leading the club to four Premier League titles, FA Cups, League Cups and also European success.

Terry's strength of character has been his standout quality. He's often played through the pain barrier in the name of winning, setting an example to those around him and in the Stamford Bridge dressing room.

He has the mettle to bounce back from setbacks, which he has proved time and again. Any new manager looking for a player to build a team around would look no further than a man of Terry's capabilities.

The only problem is that he's 35 and his body is beginning to let him down. From appearing in every minute of Chelsea's title-winning campaign last year, he's been missing games this time around.

As recently as Saturday he was left out of Chelsea's team to face Aston Villa due to injury, which came on the back of him missing a month due to a hamstring strain.

When we talk of Terry today, the picture has changed somewhat; Conte won't be inheriting the same player we once knew if he keeps him on.

If age and physical conditioning is one thing, the Italian must also consider what Terry's presence means for his approach. Chelsea's tired 4-2-3-1 needs an overhaul, but the solution we think Conte will provide to that conundrum with his desire for playing three at the back doesn't suit the club captain's game.

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For one, the veteran isn't mobile enough. If we look at how successful sides have been built in a 3-5-2, the three at the back have been more dynamic than Terry has been at any stage of his career. Given Chelsea's current personnel, there's an argument to suggest Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill and Kurt Zouma would best fit the formation. Terry isn't part of the picture.

Terry's inclusion means playing a deeper line simply because space in behind leaves him wildly exposed to pacey forwards. Five years ago that tactic proved Andre Villas-Boas' downfall when he attempted to play a high line with the club icon at the heart of his defence.

In the twilight of his career, it's even less of an option than it was then.

Villas-Boas' problem back in 2011 was that he had to play Terry, regardless. How do you drop your captain when he's still in the peak years of his career?

The answer is that you don't and that factor damaged Villas-Boas' plans. He wanted to revolutionise Chelsea's style of play to add that tempo Roman Abramovich has long craved, but Terry limited his options. Things spiraled downwards from there.

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Maybe if Villas-Boas had been patient and adapted his style to complement Terry, things may have transpired much more differently. He wanted quick change, however, and the resistance he met ultimately ended his time at Stamford Bridge prematurely.

Conte doesn't have to give himself that problem. Terry is on the way out and in many ways, his destiny was decided long before the Italian was even mentioned as the potential new manager, let alone being appointed.

Politically, Conte is safe and that counts for plenty at Stamford Bridge. Without Terry, he starts with a clean slate. The former Juventus boss can build this Chelsea into what he desires without the pressure of a domineering captain lurking in the background.

But what of his leaders? The Italian needs lieutenants in a team that is lacking them. He can spend in the transfer market to bring some in, yet he will want to have something in place already. Conte needs a player who understands the club and can help manage the transition from the Mourinho era to his own.

Successful clubs maintain a strong dressing room culture regardless of who the manager is. For a decade and more, Terry has been the mortar holding Chelsea's bricks together. Now they're crumbling, his presence is vital.

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That's how Chelsea have got through their many managerial crises in the past. World-class coaches have come and gone, but with a strong core in the dressing room, things have been maintained to get them through.

Terry is all that remains of that generation now. Frank Lampard is gone, as are Didier Drogba, Petr Cech and Ashley Cole. So who do Chelsea build around now? Who will Conte make his leader?

As a character, he need look no further than Terry. When we look at him as a player, the reality tells us that things aren't as simple as that.

"[I] will reserve speaking about Chelsea again until after the Euros," Conte told Chelsea's official website on Monday.

That'll be too late for Terry, so Conte will have to break his promise if the Chelsea captain is to remain at Stamford Bridge.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes