:FEK< KF :8J? @E
Tough times key for Conte
ANTONIO CONTE says any new deal at Chelsea should reflect his stunning first season in English football.
The Italian has led the Blues to the brink of the Premier League title and an FA Cup Final clash against Arsenal.
With Inter Milan ready to offer Conte a five-year deal worth £60m, a vast transfer kitty and full control of how to spend it, Chelsea chiefs are understandably eager to tie down the Italian long term.
But speaking ahead of tonight’s game against West Brom, where victory will seal the title, Conte said: “The money is important only at this level to give the real value of a player or the coach.
“If you show you deserve it, you have earned the money.” Conte’s current deal, which has two year left to run, is worth £6.5m a year.
It leaves him trailing in the wake of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City (£15m), Jose Mourinho at Manchester United (£13m), Arsene Wenger at Arsenal (£8m) and even Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool (£7m).
But the Chelsea boss is clearly unwilling to let anything distract him from securing an historic
ANTONIO CONTE insists no team can win the Premier League without being made to suffer.
And he reckons Chelsea’s progress this season is down to his players’ reaction to being put through the mill.
Conte’s side can lift the title and kick-start the celebrations with victory at West Brom tonight.
That will mark an amazing turnaround from last season’s disappointment of finishing 10th as defending champions.
But despite dominating, Conte rejects any suggestions his side have cruised their way to glory.
Stronger
And he warned there is more work to be done this summer if the Blues are to build on this campaign.
He said: “When you work very hard, it’s normal to suffer. I’ve never seen a player who, during hard work, doesn’t suffer.
“You become stronger and you are ready to face every situation, above all problematic situations, during games.”
Conte admits he had doubts about Chelsea’s chances, even after winning the first two league games.
It took the shock of back-to-back defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal in September to prompt a tactical overhaul that transformed their season.
Conte said: “We started this ® season with two wins but, honestly, I wasn’t calm. I wasn’t relaxed.
“I didn’t see what I was wanting to see. I think I saw my team improving step by step.
“It was important, after defeats to Liverpool and above all against Arsenal.
“I understood we had to change something in the tactical aspect and find the right solution, to improve our tactical work.
“If you ask me, ‘Was there one moment?’. I don’t see one. I saw my team improving game by game.
“And when you play against Manchester City and win the way we did, the confidence improves.
“When you play and win against Manchester United at home the way we did, or when we drew against Liverpool and missed a penalty 10 minutes from the end, yes, the confidence improved a lot.
“These are moments when you understand you can fight for the title. But to win it or not? It’s very difficult to understand.”
Conte was a serial title winner with Juventus, but insists it is too early to anticipate similar success with Chelsea.
He said: “First of all, I want to win the first one. I don’t want to say something about something that has yet to happen.
“If you ask me, honestly, ‘Did you believe you’d fight to win the title in the first season?’. It’s very difficult to answer because we are building good foundations for this team, for the club.
“To do this you need time, and to improve season by season.”