CONTE: I DON’T CARE IF STARS ARE UNHAPPY
ANTONIO CONTE has insisted he is more focused on winning the title and the FA Cup for Chelsea than keeping players happy.
Cesc Fabregas has become a target for clubs aware he could be frozen out by the league leaders’ transfer business this summer.
Brazil winger Willian (right) has also been targeted by clubs in Europe and the Far East after finding himself a squad player this season.
But Conte, whose title bid is on hold until Monday when the Blues host Middlesbrough, said: “I mustn’t keep the players happy. We must win. Because you can be happy at the right time, and to play every game.
“If you are unhappy in this season, when you are fighting for the title or to win the FA Cup, I think I don’t like to listen to this type of question.
“No, I don’t like it. You speak about ‘happy’. I speak about ‘to win’ and to work very hard. I know that to work very hard is not simple. Players are not always happy to work very hard.
“But I think my target is to put in the mind of my players a winning mentality, and a winning mentality doesn’t have to keep players happy.
“It’s very difficult to keep 20 players happy, above all because I don’t want to. I don’t want this.
“I want players ready to fight and to try to put themselves in the team, to try to win together. “If you are happy or unhappy, I don’t care.”
Of Fabregas, Conte said: “Cesc is playing very well and his level is very high. If he starts the game or if he comes on during the game, he’s always decisive for us.”
Conte has also refused to give any assurances that Diego Costa will be at Chelsea next season with Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian lurking.
He added: “I don’t know about this. It’s very important for every player and person at Chelsea to be focused on the present rather than the future.”