Frank Leboeuf says Antonio Conte will make Chelsea “seductive”
By George Perry
Frank Leboeuf says that Antonio Conte is a new breed of Italian manager, one who will bring “offensive” and “seductive” football to Stamford Bridge.
Former Chelsea defender and French international Frank Leboeuf is the latest Blue alumnus to voice his support for incoming manager Antonio Conte. Leboeuf told Goal that is Conte the right man to restore Chelsea to the top flight of English and European football, and that he will do so by bringing a “seductive” form of football to Stamford Bridge.
Leboeuf’s praise for Antonio Conte reflects changes in how Italian managers approach the game since Leboeuf was on the pitch. Lebouef believes that this change not only is more attractive to players and fans, but will be effective in overcoming what he deemed Chelsea’s “appalling” 2015/16 season.
“[W]hen I was a player I didn’t want to go to Italy because it was boring as a defender,” Leboeuf said. “They needed a change and I like those coaches who are between their 40s and 50s who have a new idea of football, like Jose Mourinho, like Didier Deschamps, like Laurent Blanc – we need a new generation of coach to bring something new.”
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Leboeuf made 204 appearances for Chelsea from 1996-2001 after playing eight years in Ligue 1 with Laval and Strasbourg. While with the Blues, Leboeuf won two FA Cups and one each of the League Cup, Community Shield, UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Leboeuf was one of Chelsea’s most reliable penalty kick takers, with 17 of his 24 Chelsea goals coming from the spot.
Leboeuf was on the French national team from 1995-2002, winning the World Cup with Les Bleus in 1998. After leaving Chelsea, Leboeuf returned to Marseille in Ligue 1 for two years before closing out his career in Qatar.
Italy’s performance at Euro 2016 under Antonio Conte has been noteworthy for its fluid yet discipline tactics. Conte’s ability to translate his formations at Juventus and the Italian national team to success at Chelsea will rest in large part on the club’s aggressiveness in the upcoming transfer window.
Because of the loyalty Conte engenders, the transfer rumor mill has linked many Juventus and Serie A players to Stamford Bridge. Radja Nainggolan, Alvaro Morata and Leonardo Bonucci would allow Conte to immediately shift Chelsea’s formation to the “chameleon” system Italy employed against Belgium and Sweden.
Next: Chelsea switch for Alvaro Morata is still on
Chelsea has yet to show signs of life, let alone urgency, in its approach to summer transfers. Perhaps Leboeuf’s comments will not only encourage fans in their already fever-pitched enthusiasm for Conte, but will spur the front office at Stamford Bridge to give Conte the resources he needs to deliver on his potential.