FROM THE TOAST OF CHELSEA TO , WELL , JUST TOAST

Downhill quickly for doomed Conte

wanted a short-term signing with the obvious implication that the manager might not be hanging around – with Peter Crouch and Ashley Barnes the more unlikely names on the shortlist.

They ended up with Olivier Giroud and yet Conte still did not start with him at Watford on Monday night, preferring to use Eden Hazard as a “false nine.” Conte appears to be happy to make his point to the board, even at the expense of his own team.

The Stamford Bridge boss cannot help himself going off message. Even in China in pre-season, he was under orders not to talk about Costa and the fall-out because, after all, it could make selling the unhappy Brazilian even harder. But Conte went public in claiming the striker (right) had been told six months earlier that his Chelsea career was over.

“The only thing I can tell you is that in January, the Costa situation was very clear, for the club for him and his agent,” said Conte. On Monday night, at Watford, Conte was at it again.

His emotional press conference seemed to be him saying goodbye.

“Every day and every press conference I am asked, but no,” said Conte angrily. “Tomorrow is another day.

“My soul is clear and I go to sleep without the problem that maybe I could do this. I try to do everything. If this problem becomes the club’s it is okay. Life goes on.”

Conte took the unusual step of giving his players three days off this week after Watford and they do not report back in until Friday to prepare for the West Brom game.

That is a direct result of the other accusation about Conte – his relentless training methods.

There have been double sessions, tough drills and workouts on the day of games. The players are tired and fatigued, no wonder there have been NINE hamstring injuries this season.

The Italian has been kept in a job by the fact that Chelsea are still in the top four, and they face a daunting run of six fixtures that includes home and away trips against Barcelona in the Champions League and visits to the Old Trafford and the Etihad.

But Conte’s constant sniping and unhappiness have left his future in grave doubt with time running out on yet another Chelsea manager.

and have got no plans to sack him even after the humiliating defeat at Watford on Monday night. They also moved to deny reports from Spain that Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia has met former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique, who is the bookies’...