Conte keen to see out Chelsea contract
Italian manager insists he is the best man to lead the London side ahead of clash with Watford
>> LONDON: Anotnio Conte dismissed speculation surrounding his future at Premier League champions Chelsea, saying that he plans to see out his contract and is focused on his job.
Conte, who guided Chelsea to the league title in his first season, has struggled to extract the same level of ruthlessness from the London club in his second campaign in charge.
Ahead of yesterday’s matches, Chelsea were fourth in the table with 50 points, 18 points behind leaders Manchester City, and the Italian manager admitted the club were in danger of missing out on a Champions League place next season after a 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth in midweek.
“The only thing I can tell you now is that I have 18 months left on my contract at Chelsea and my will and my desire is to stay here and continue my work,” Conte said ahead of tomorrow’s league clash at 11th-placed Watford.
The Italian has suggested this season that his squad is too small to be playing Premier League, Cup and Champions League competitions and that he has little control over signing new players in the transfer window.
British media reports have said Conte’s relationship with team owner Roman Abramovich has become strained, particularly over reinforcements to the squad but the manager said he was not interested in talk of him being sacked.
“From the start of the season, and since the defeat against Bournemouth, there’s been a lot of speculation about me being sacked,” Conte added.
“But I’m not interested in this. I’m only focused on working with my team and trying my best for the team.
“I trust in my work. This is the only way I work and that brought me to be one of the best coaches. Only trusting in my work and in my job. I continue in this way, because I think this has made me become one of the best.”
Conte insisted he remains the best man to lead the Londoners despite an alarming dip in form from the Premier League champions in his second season in charge.
Conte labelled his preparations for Wednesday’s defeat as “disastrous” as Chelsea finally landed Olivier Giroud from Arsenal as a striking alternative to the injured Alvaro Morata, whilst the out of favour Michy Batshuayi was allowed to join Borussia Dortmund.
However, Conte is wary of throwing Giroud straight into his starting line-up for tomorrow night’s trip to Watford.
“We are working with him and we have to check his physical condition. It won’t be easy for him to start against Watford,” added Conte.
Meanwhile, Watford manager Javi Gracia will make a late decision on whether to include midfielder Tom Cleverley in his squad for the clash with Chelsea.
Cleverley limped off in Wednesday’s goalless draw with Stoke City after aggravating a hamstring injury he had picked up against Southampton last month.
Gracia confirmed goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes (back) and defenders Craig Cathcart (knee) and Younes Kaboul (foot) were ruled out of the clash with injuries.
“They are not yet ready but I hope like the other players who are injured that they will be back soon. I think with the players we do have we can still do some good work,” he said.
New signing Didier Ndong will be unavailable as the midfielder completes the final game of a threematch ban incurred at his former club Sunderland.