Straight-talking Antonio Conte is a breath of fresh air
Antonio Conte is not one to mince his words. With Chelsea in need of an urgent and serious rejuvenation, the manager’s attitude is a breath of fresh air.
Chelsea took AC Milan on Wednesday night in the final game of their tour of the United States. After a relatively disappointing pre-season campaign, the Blues left America on a high note, defeating the Italians 3-1. Speaking after the game, Antonio Conte honestly addressed the transfer situation.
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The new Chelsea boss has been able to sample almost every player at his disposable over the last three or so weeks. With the start of the Premier League season just around the corner, Antonio Conte confirmed that his ideas are taking firm shape.
"This match told me a lot about the players who we will keep and the players we can send out on loan or sell. My ideas are clearer than before. – via the Express"
With only one pre-season game left (a clash with Werder Bremen), Blues fans would have hoped that his plans were reaching an almost crystal level of clarity. However. with the amount of players on Chelsea’s books, Conte could be forgiven for wanting to act coy.
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It is this honesty that will only add to the optimism that has been quietly brewing ahead of this campaign.
After two and a half seasons of Jose Mourinho, fans have got used to media antics. They have seen the Portuguese repeatedly work his way around journalists’ questions.
It worked. Mourinho’s strategies have been successful far too often for anyone to criticise his approach. However, as Chelsea enter a new era, Conte’s straight-shooting is what they need.
The season has not even started and the Italian already appears to have made his mark. His passion (#passion) is what drives his teams and he is not afraid to let any player know what he thinks.
Furthermore, he is not afraid to communicate those feelings in a more public space. After a disastrous season that raised questions over certain individuals’ commitment, Conte has essentially told them that there will be nowhere to hide.
Of course, the boss is not foolish enough to name the players he intends to sell, but they probably know who they are. They have been given up to five games so far to prove their worth and thus those who are cut can have no complaints.
Fans can only speculate as to the indentities at the moment, but they can also rest easy in the knowledge that Conte has clear plans. More importantly, though, they should be relieved that Conte will not be messing anyone around.