Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BLUES NEED A QUICK FIX
ZOLA EXCLUSIVE: Conte and Chelsea are the perfect match. They must mend their broken relationship now
GIANFRANCO ZOLA has urged Antonio Conte and Chelsea to “fix” their relationship and get back to winning ways together.
“If Chelsea lose Antonio, they are losing a very good coach,” said the Blues legend.
“But if Antonio loses Chelsea, he is a losing a very special club.”
The reigning champions travel to leaders Manchester City today and in the fight to qualify for Champions League qualification they are down in fifth place.
Conte’s side are still in Europe’s premier competition and the FA Cup — but the season has been overshadowed by tension between the Italian coach and the Stamford Bridge hierarchy.
“I want the best for Chelsea,” said Zola. “This is a difficult one for me because of the relationship I have with Antonio and with the club.
“Trying to be impartial, I would say that their relationship hasn’t been brilliant and, in a way, has affected the results.
“Without getting into the dispute about whether it is Antonio’s fault or the club’s fault, which is not my intention to do, it is something that has to be worked out. The competition in the Premier League is tough and you don’t need to have problems inside the club.
“There are also probably situations we don’t know about. And I want to be constructive.
“It has to be addressed and sorted because every team next year will be getting stronger.
“And if you love Chelsea, we need Chelsea to be strong.
“Antonio is very competitive but I believe also the club wants to be competitive as well.
“If they can really come together, then it would be good for everyone.
“If the relationship can be somehow improved, it has to be done. If the two parts want it.
“If the relationship can be improved, I think it is a big bonus for both of them – for the club and the manager.
“And they can still win things together. And you cannot write this season off.”
Conte will have only one year left on his Chelsea contract this summer and is a target for Italy while top clubs like Paris SaintGermain and Real Madrid could also come calling.
But Zola, once voted Chelsea’s greatest ever player, said: “It is true that there are other clubs around who will look at him but Chelsea is not a normal club.
“For me, they are a special team.
“I don’t think the relationship is only one way.
“I’m saying it to Antonio and I am saying it to the club as well. So if the relationship can be fixed, it would be good for both of them.”
Zola, who has managed West Ham, Watford and Birmingham, claimed the role of the coach is increasingly important in the Premier League.
“If you want to be competitive, spending is not enough anymore,” said the 51-year-old, who now works for Sky Italia.
“Not only are Chelsea spending now. City are spending, United spend too, I think next year Arsenal will spend. That is only in this league.
“Then you have PSG and other big clubs. There are not that many great players around that can make a difference – that can go in a league and change it.
“You can count them on one hand. So big coaches are the ones who can make a difference in a club. And if I have to make a list of top managers, Antonio is certainly one of them. He is one of the big ones.”
Chelsea were 15 points clear of City last season but now trail by 22. Zola claimed his Blues are missing Diego Costa this season while Pep Guardiola has hugely improved the City defence.
But the Italian said: “People are saying that Manchester City will dominate for 10 years.
“As much as I love the way they play and the way Pep coaches his team, I don’t think it is going to be that easy to dominate the Premier League.
“It is not like the German or Italian league where you have one or two teams dominating.
“In this league there are five teams that can really do well.
“You think there are teams like Manchester United, who can spend money and they already have a good team.
“And then there is Chelsea, and so on...
“I think it is very difficult to say Manchester
City are going to rule for 10 years.”
It is true there are other clubs around that will
look at him