TOM HOPKINSON
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unhappy t hat Conte’s Chelsea, with three games in 10 days, had a far more favourable festive programme than the rest of them.
Chelsea had been granted a “privilege” according to former Blues boss Mourinho.
Little wonder they were five points clear at the top, on the back of 13 successive victories.
“I can reply that I didn’t do the fixtures,” Conte said at the time. “I think that’s the simple reply.”
It was the only worthwhile reply given his side’s lofty position.
Furious
Fast forward to last weekend, however, and no doubt Mourinho, Klopp and Wenger afforded themselves a wry smile as Conte took his turn to hit out.
He was furious that Chelsea had to play their FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham on Saturday and a Premier League clash with Southampton just three days later.
While Tottenham, their closest challengers in the league, had an extra day to recover after Wembley before their topflight clash with Crystal Palace. Conte saw it as an unfair advantage for Spurs at the business end of the season and had the right old hump about it.
Ultimately, everything worked out just fine for the Italian, with backto-back 4-2 wins keeping his side on course for what would be a truly respectable Double in his first season at the club.
But the complaint was a sign that the lava which lies inside him was beginning to gurgle for the first time, publicly at least, since he arrived on these shores last summer.
Unsurprising, really, as he has had very few negatives to contend with since those defeats by Liverpool and Arsenal i n September which prompted Chelsea’s switch to a back three and saw them rise to the top.
It will be fascinating to see the way Conte reacts next season when the games are coming thicker and faster with Chelsea back in the Champions THE LAST WORD ... League. Throw in the fact that Manchester United and Manchester City will spend ridiculous sums in the summer and be tougher opponents for it, and Conte will have far more to contend with next season.
Then there’s likely to be the added pressure that the Blues, as champions, will once again be a proper scalp – back at the start of the current campaign they weren’t the team everyone was so desperate to beat, after what happened at the club last year.
Bleating
So, no doubt we’ll be hearing again from Conte that the fixture list is so unkind.
And he won’t be alone, with Mourinho, Klopp, Wenger, Pep Guardiola and Co sure to be bleating about the same thing.
The fixture list can be a pain, there’s no denying that, but it happens by and large because the broadcasters who pump billions into the game have the temerity to then dictate when fixtures should and shouldn’t be played.
The same broadcasters whose money ensures that, while managers might have to worry that their fullback has a tight hammy, they certainly don’t have to concern themselves with other issues like when the next utility bill has to be paid.
The only people who can have genuine gripes about when football fixtures are or aren’t played are the fans, season ticket holders in particular.
Because they are the ones constantly having to reschedule plans – and they aren’t well compensated by the broadcasters in exchange.
So it’s high time Conte and his rivals stopped moaning about fixture congestion, about who’s played three times a week, or who’s played twice.
That’s your job, chaps. If you don’t like it you know what you can do.