In the second part of the series previewing Antonio Conte’s stint with Chelsea FC, we take a look at his managerial credentials and suitability heading into the job.
In part one of this series, we took a look at the situation that Chelsea FC currently find themselves in. This time, we examine Antonio Conte’s managerial credentials and judge his suitability for the uneviable task of leading the Blues.
Part Two: Suitability for the Role
Chelsea FC’s official announcement that Antonio Conte has signed a three-year contract to take over from interim coach Guus Hiddink has finally put to rest weeks of speculation about who the next boss will be.
Managing a club owned by the demanding Russian billionaire, Roman Abramovich, is daunting enough without the expectations likely to the placed on the enigmatic Italian. And Antonio Conte will definitely be expected to guide the team to victory in at least two of the three domestic competitions up for grabs next season as well as automatic qualification for the 2017/2018 UEFA Champions League via the league table.
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And this feat must be achieved while playing the attractive brand of football Abramovich craves so much which has seen him run through nine managers since he bought the club in 2003.
When you take into consideration the fact that Pep Guardiola, Claudio Ranieri, Arsene Wenger, Ronald Koeman, Slaven Bilic, Jose Mourinho (if he can convince Man Utd to take a risk on him), Manuel Pellegrini (if he chooses to stay in England) and Rafa Benitez (if Newcastle Utd escape relegation) will be managing clubs in England next season, the magnitude of the job at hand for Conte becomes even more enormous.
In Conte, though, Chelsea FC have most likely gotten the manager most suited to the Blues’ current situation, which is rebuilding and restructuring a top team currently down on its luck for future success. His experience in helping to rejuvenate a struggling Juventus side in the aftermath of the Calciopoli scandal that rocked Italian football (for which he himself had to face a suspended 4-month ban) indicates that he has the character required to face adversity head on.
Furthermore, the three consecutive Serie A titles he won in his short spell at Juventus, coupled with the recent success the team is enjoying under current manager Massimiliano Allegri (which culminated in a first Champions League final last season since 2004), is a testament to his managerial acumen.
Like the man considered by many Chelsea FC supporters to be its greatest ever manager, Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte is well-known for his unpredictable temper, his animated gestures on the touch-line and his impeccable fashion style.
He also shares the Portuguese’s hands-on style of management, detailed scenario-based tactical approach to training and match situations (Andrea Pirlo, who was signed by the charismatic Italian in 2010, has recently stated that “Conte is allergic to errors…”) and a fierce sense of loyalty and commitment to his players which he expects in return. Current and former players like Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo, Giorgio Chiellini, Christian Bonucci, Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba have recently expressed their admiration and love for him.
Unlike Mourinho, Antonio Conte is not averse to giving opportunities to youth, with a notable example being the 22-year old French international, Paul Pogba. He was signed by the Italian on a free from Manchester United and was immediately integrated into the first team squad as a budding 18-year old talent. Currently, he is one of Juventus’ key players being courted all over Europe by top Premier League sides as well as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and PSG.
Many have questioned his relative lack of experience outside Italian football and his poor showing in the UEFA Champions League during his tenure as Juventus’ manager, but the fact that he was able to return Juventus to its rightful place as the biggest side in Italy indicates he has the quality to manage anywhere.
And anyway, Carlo Ancelotti didn’t have any experience outside Italy when he managed to claim the Premier League and FA Cup double in his first season as Chelsea manager! Furthermore, his commitment to mastering the English language suggests that he is very driven and willing to go all out to achieve success.
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In the next part, I would focus on the areas Conte would need to address next season in a bid to make Chelsea FC a force to reckon with once again.