'Old soldiers never die, they just fade away,' goes the famous quote from American general Douglas MacArthur. And that's exactly what has happened in a sporting context this season to two of the Premier League's greatest warriors, John Terry and Wayne Rooney.
One has to hand it to managers Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho for handling a potentially awkward situation with great tact, diplomacy but also single-mindedness.
Terry and Rooney are all-time club legends and the last two survivors from England's Golden Generation. Yet with their powers diminished by age and miles on the clock, the two managers have managed to keep them inside the club but not centre-stage.