CONTE’S FURY!
Foul-mouthed rant over his Chelsea future
ANTONIO CONTE turned the air blue with a furious rant yesterday as the uncertainty surrounding his job continued.
With Chelsea nine points off the pace in the title race, the Italian is understood to be drawing increased scrutiny from the club’s hierarchy.
But he was livid when denying recent claims that his players have texted complaints over his methods to Steve Holland, his former No 2, who is now working with England.
Speaking ahead of today’s clash at Bournemouth, Conte said: ‘Around us there is a lot of bull***t. I see in the past it happened the same with a lot of managers. A lot of bull***t. They try to create problems between me, the club and
the players,’ he added.
‘If someone is happy to continue to write this, I answer very well. I am answering very well about these different issues. This is a lack of respect. I can accept they write the club is ready to sack me and the story with the players.
‘I can accept this but to put another person (Holland) in this way I think is incorrect and it is not good that this person has to send me a message to tell me, “I am sorry but this is not true”.
‘Why put another person in this bull***t. If you want to hit me, hit me. This is incorrect and I hate this type of situation.’
It was an animated response from Conte, whose side have lost two of their past three Premier League matches. The results have only added to tensions behind the scenes, which have partially come from Conte’s frustration at the lack of transfer activity in the summer. Most revealing was the decision to improve the terms of his contract in the summer, rather than lengthen it.
He stoked the transfer issue again with a suggestion that he did not want to sell Nathan Ake to Bournemouth in the summer.
When asked about Ake’s £20m move to this afternoon’s opponents, he said: ‘My answer is always the same. I can give my opinion to my club but then the last decision is for the club.’
On the wider issue of the pressure he is currently facing, the former Italy manager added: ‘This is work for me. From my experience, for me as a player and coach in great teams, this is work for me.
‘You don’t know the pressure you can have when you are manager of your country during the World Cup or Euros.’
Conte’s problems are exacerbated by Chelsea’s injury problems. N’Golo Kante and Victor Moses will not be fit, while Danny Drinkwater is unlikely to feature twice in a week after making his return against Everton on Wednesday.
Opposition manager Eddie Howe was in a far more positive mood, praising Conte for winning the Premier League title last season.
‘We have full respect for what they achieved last season. I love watching them.’