Conte: It will take four years to be the best

ANTONIO CONTE believes he needs at least four years to build Chelsea into the club he wants, because his team’s feat in winning the Premier League last season was “incredible”.

The Chelsea manager has major headaches going into tomorrow’s derby against Tottenham at Wembley, with injuries and suspensions on top of the ongoing row with absent forward Diego Costa.

Conte has admitted he needs more players and last night said: “We need time here. Maybe four years, to arrive and try to fight for the Champions League. To try to fight to be the best in the world, you need time.

“Spurs started to work with Pochettino three years ago, this is the fourth year. He has had the possibility to work for three years with the same players and every season improve his foundations.

“For every coach it’s important to give continuity to a club.

“Last year we had a fantastic season because there wasn’t this foundation or base. We started to build this foundation and we won, so it means we built something.

“But it’s not enough. We have to improve, extend this base, work with new players. Tottenham are doing this well.”

Asked why he did not extend his contract in the summer, agreeing only to a pay rise, Conte said: “I still have still two years, this season and next, to work with the club.

“Then if we stay very well and have the same vision, we will continue. I don’t see any problems about the future. I am staying at the right club at this point of my career. I have the vision to work, sometimes slowly, to try to build something important. But if you ask me how long this path is, my answer is – we need time.

“I like to be positive. Last season we started on a difficult path. Despite this we won the title in my first season. It was incredible. No one put a gun to my head and said, ‘You win or you go away’.

“The only thing I can promise is work, work, work and that I will try to do my best to improve the club.”