Legend Roy dies aged 93
MOUR BAD MOUTHING BY CONTE
ANTONIO CONTE took another swipe at Jose Mourinho after reaching his Chelsea century.
Conte and Mourinho have been locked in a war of words this season.
And Conte risked reigniting the row by suggesting the return from his first 100 games in charge at Stamford Bridge is better than Mourinho’s.
Conte won 65 games, a record only bettered by Mourinho’s 72, but the Italian said: “We are talking about a great manager [Mourinho].
“Don’t forget that the first 100 games with Mourinho were many years ago.
“Now it’s not simple, I think, to have this type of results in this moment, in this present Chelsea.”
Both managers won the league in their debut Chelsea seasons.
But while Mourinho (right) inherited a team that finished second, Conte took over after the Blues finished 10th the previous campaign.
Chelsea were also spending more freely back in Mourinho’s days. Conte (above, top) added: “They are different eras. I have to consider this.
“I won a title with Juventus after two seventh places. When you win a title in this way, it’s a great, great achievement. Not a simple achievement.
“Last season we won a title after a 10th place. When you win a title in this way, it means it’s a great, great achievement.
“Not a simple achievement, only because your name is Chelsea and it’s normal because in the past you won many titles. You have to see the era you are going through.”
Conte missed the chance to match Mourinho’s first-year league and domestic cup double when Chelsea lost 2-1 to Arsenal in last year’s FA Cup final.
When asked if that defeat would give Chelsea an extra incentive after reaching this year’s semi-finals, where they face Southampton tomorrow, Conte added: “We must have great motivation to finish the season as strongly as possible.” SOUTHAMPTON recently presented James Ward-Prowse with a photo album containing snaps of some of the highs and lows he has experienced to mark his 200th game for the club.
And the England midfielder is confident that Saints can defy the odds to enjoy a picture perfect finish to their rollercoaster campaign.
The 23-year-old poster boy for Saints’ famed academy hopes that from a daunting position they can celebrate Premier League survival and FA Cup glory – rather than ’doing a Wigan’.
Five years ago the Latics beat Southampton en route to winning the Cup, only to drop out of the top flight days after their shock Wembley win over Manchester City
The Saints have a semifinal against Chelsea to look forward to tomorrow as they take a break from an ever-more desperate fight against relegation.
Ward-Prowse said: “It’s a very tough situation. Not many teams have probably been in it. We all want to be playing in the Premier League next season but equally if we can lift an FA Cup, it’s a great choice as well.
“Hopefully we can have the best of both worlds.
“It is a strange sort of feeling having a semi-final now, but it’s a great opportunity to get to another final and it might be a nice distraction from the league.”
Portsmouth-born Ward-Prowse joined bitter local rivals Southampton aged eight in 2003, the year the club last reached the FA Cup final. He was rising through the ranks while Saints were recovering from administration and climbing up the Football League.
And he has helped them re-establish themselves in the Premier League and reach the Europa League and the EFL Cup final along the way.
Ward-Prowse can’t put his finger on why things have gone wrong this year.
He said: “I wouldn’t say it was complacency. The club has wanted to develop year on year, but it hasn’t this year.
“We just have to finish the season strong, make sure we remain a Premier League club and then reassess from there.” CHELSEA’S legendary title-winning skipper of the 1950s, Roy Bentley, has died at the age of 93.
The England striker (above) scored 150 goals in 367 games for the Blues.
The club said: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Roy Bentley, star of our 1955 League Championship team. A Chelsea legend in the truest sense.”