Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola addressed questions about how players spend their days off in their press conference ahead of Chelsea vs. Manchester City. As former players themselves, both understand the importance of respecting the players’ responsibility and maturity.
Sergio Aguero suffered a broken rib after a taxi he was in crashed into a pole in Amsterdam Thursday night. He is out indefinitely, starting with Manchester City’s visit to Chelsea on Saturday. Both head coaches took questions about their perspective on their players’ travels and activities in their down time.
The timing of Aguero’s trip to Amsterdam seemed peculiar, coming two days after City’s Champions League match and two days before their Premier League tilt with Chelsea. Given the magnitude of Saturday’s match, pundits questioned whether Guardiola should have set tighter limits on his players’ activities.
Guardiola dismissed this notion, citing the importance of relaxation and enjoyment as well as his management style.
"I think days off are to be happy. I want the players to be happy. Always I am a manager who doesn’t like to train every day. I think the players have to rest mentally and physically. They can enjoy their lives. I want my players to have fun. If they decide to go there, they decide to go there. – Telegraph"
Antonio Conte echoed his counterpart’s perspective. Conte started with the obvious: “The players are not kids, they are men.” He placed the onus on the players to make the best decisions with their time away from training. Conte pointed out that he was once in this situation himself: “I was a player and when you have your day off, you must take your own responsibility.”
Chelsea have experience with freakish down-time injuries. Last season Thibaut Courtois injured his ankle doing a promo shoot for the National Basketball Association.
Courtois is a prime example, though, of Conte’s philosophy in action. Courtois is a massive sports fan, particularly of basketball and American football. He spent much of his days off last season in the United States at basketball games and football games, including the Super Bowl. He never missed a training session and his travels did not compromise his performance on the pitch.
Conte returned several times to his experience as a player. He and Pep Guardiola have that advantage in being able to relate to their players, on the pitch and off. They both know the importance of time away from the training ground and the pressures of the season. They know what life is like for these players, and can guide them and set the appropriate expectations.
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Sergio Aguero is the victim of bad luck, not poor decision-making. Chelsea and Manchester City players are fortunate that their coaches recognize this, and that both coaches will continue to respect their time away.