Chelsea are champions: Thank you, Antonio Conte
After a remarkable transformation, Chelsea are once again champions of England. Thank you, Antonio Conte, for making the Blues great again.
I didn’t think this was going to happen. Very few, if anyone, predicted that Chelsea would take the league title following the shambles that was last season. This year, however, was a revelation. There are, as always, people claiming it was only a matter of having no European competition and so on that made it easier. That acknowledged it is still damn hard to win the Premier League and especially hard to do it several weeks before the end.
The truth is very simple. Although it was a team effort, the newfound fire in the hearts of every Blues player, staff member and supporter was started by one indefatigable and endlessly charming man: Antonio Conte.
Thank you Antonio Conte for everything you have done for the Blues this year. As a writer about the club, a supporter and a card-holding member many things about the club have come to concern me in recent years. But matters genuinely do feel different under your stewardship so thank you.
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For too many years Chelsea were the hated team in English football. There was no reason to be. Manchester United have won more and Liverpool have won more. Some managers may have used this reputation to cultivate success, but it never felt good. Being hated isn’t something good in life. Sometimes it’s unavoidable but it’s not something people generally aspire to.
Thank you for making our club into something people can admire. Not just for industry but spirit and character. Clapping for the Middlesbrough supporters? Gentlemanly. Crediting the entire team including staff instead of crediting only yourself as special? Wonderful. Having a good time watching your club play football? Essential.
Antonio Conte, thank you for turning Chelsea back into the sort of club I have always loved it for being. It’s a club about us and thank you for being one with us.