It was inevitable things would go up in smoke with combustible Conte
THE problem with appointing a strict disciplinarian as manager is once his authority is compromised, the end is inevitable.
Chelsea knew precisely what they were getting when opting for Antonio Conte 18 months ago.
The Italian’s relentless work ethic and regimented style appeared the perfect antidote for a squad who downed tools under his predecessor Jose Mourinho to languish 10th in the Premier League.
This group of players needed showing who’s boss and Conte’s fiery touchline demeanour was just a glimpse of the intensity necessary to restore standards at a club where nothing less than challenging for major honours is expected on an annual basis.
His impact was remarkable. The Blues won the title in his first season and were only denied the Double by an improbably assured display from Arsenal in the FA Cup Final; most of Chelsea’s rivals, including Arsene Wenger, copied his three-man defensive template as 3-4-3, or variations thereof, enjoying a renaissance that is yet to end.
Conte subsequently submitted his list of transfer targets to the board, jettisoned principal striker Diego Costa in ruthless, and disastrous, fashion — by text message no less — and continued in his combative, combustible style safe in the knowledge he was operating from a position of strength.
How quickly things can change. A culture of short termism has permeated every top league in Europe yet nowhere does a successful manager consistently fall from grace quicker than at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues have had more managers than Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid — not to mention all of their leading domestic rivals — since sacking Mourinho for the first time in 2007 and while it has proved undeniably successful in terms of trophies won, the flip side is an unedifying unravelling like that Conte is facing right now.
The cracks emerged last summer and there is fault on both sides. By refusing to back Conte in the transfer market as he wanted — even though they have spent £235.5milion on eight players since they were crowned champions — the 48-yearold spent pre-season bemoaning the modest size of his squad, a refrain he would repeat unprompted time and again throughout the campaign.
Conte refused to sign a contract extension but took a pay rise after winning the title. In that moment, he transmitted the message to his players that he was not in this for the long haul, a view seemingly reflected by a board unwilling to sanction a blank cheque in support of the manager.
Nobody should have been surprised. A very similar situation occurred at Juventus in 2014. The Italy job was waiting for him then and the suspicion remains Paris St Germain are among those ready to pounce this time. A return to his home country also appeals.
It is extremely difficult to restore a bond with players forged on hard work, discipline and commitment when the motivation for continuing is called into question. Rumours quickly surface of players’ unhappiness at the monotony of training, the number of muscular injuries Chelsea have suffered this season reinforces the view there have been insufficient alterations made to accommodate the extra matches brought by a return to Champions League football.
And that Tazmanian Devil-style act on the touchline which once looked inspirational now appears the maddening fury of a manager losing control. In their 2-1 EFL Cup semifinal, second leg defeat to Arsenal, the players didn’t even seem to be listening.
And during Monday’s 4-1 defeat at Watford, Conte resorted to what former Juve midfielder Andrea Pirlo calls his “death stare”, dropping the histrionics to leer at the players he feels are letting him down.
Conte has let loose at Mourinho in a series of catty press conference exchanges and last month sought to distance himself from the club’s transfer strategy — all of which points to a man not seeking permanency from his present position.
It appears he will be given more time with Chelsea still in the top four and facing Barcelona in the Champions League last 16. Yet any success may prove fleeting for Conte as the only authority that truly matters is that of Roman Abramovich.
Nobody should be surprised. A similar situation occurred with Conte when he was at Juventus in 2014