Antonio Conte does not recognize second place
Antonio Conte does not recognize second place"Eat grass." Out of context, the message of Antonio Conte to Juventus players may sound more like a threat than as an instruction, but he did not stop repeating it until they returned to the top of Italian football. It was his usual way to tell them to work hard to run faster than everyone else. Perhaps Conte will introduce a new corona natter at Chelsea. He studied English more than a year, although he admitted that he did not give easily. Whatever words to choose, the feeling will remain unchanged. Conte built his career on work and dedication would not expect anything less of "Stamford Bridge".
These principles so far brought him success. While it was Juventus, he became captain and won five Serie A titles and also the Champions League, Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup, although "never thought for great talent." As a coach brought the same team to three consecutive skudeta, each more impressive than the last. In his first season he led Juventus never lost again, then gathered more points in each of the next two. In the last (2013/14) his team became the first in the history of Serie A, gathered more than 100 points.
There is a story of his final campaign, narrated by journalist Alessandro Alkiato in his book "Method Conte." It reveals a lot about the mentality of the coach. One round before the end Juventus has 99 points. The title was won by weeks, but Conte is preparing hard for the match against Cagliari to pass cherished elevation 100. Juve players gather for the usual video analysis when the goalkeeper Gigi Buffon arrived with the executive director of the club Beppe Marotta. "Excuse me for a moment, boss - said Buffon. - The director just wants to clear up the issue of bonuses that make a team with title ".
His words enraged Conte. He casts out all players from room and lashing of Buffon. "I do not want to hear another word, screaming coach. - Neither you nor anyone. I did not expect anything like this. Premiums ... disappointed me from the moment you opened your mouth. And all those morons. "
In another situation such outbreak can be counterproductive. Not every player would accept such words. Buffon and company, however, understood the meaning of what Conte, not at all underestimated Cagliari and dealt with 3: 0. It is tempting to compare Conte and his predecessor Jose Mourinho at Chelsea. Both are dirt-stubborn and talented - not even to mention their overall favorite phrase that the whole world wants to see their team. 46-year-old Italian but perhaps more like some of the other former managers in the Premier League. When Carlos Tevez was asked after his first season at Juventus what are the differences between Conte and Alex Ferguson, his answer was, "Not many."
The logical joke here is the so. Called. Hairdryer. Brown curls of Conte undergone a remarkable renaissance since the end of his career, but his conversations with the players in the locker room do not cause smiles. In his biography Andrea Pirlo regret that he chose table opposite the door to the locker room at Juventus since it is there went mostly water bottles, kicked out of the wild vacation coach.
Conte's speeches are no less powerful than his actions. "When he speaks, his words if you attack - said Pirlo. - They are driven into your mind, often quite rough, and settled there long. "
Pirlo just remember the first time you listen to one of the speeches of Conte. It was the summer of 2011, and the coach and the player have just joined Juventus. "Guys - said Conte. - Finished seventh in the last two seasons. Luda work directly terrifying. I did not come here for this. It is time to stop being rubbish. " In a sense, Chelsea is in a better position than it was then Juventus. In Turin Conte was tasked to raise topklub who had not won a major trophy after a scandal "Calciopoli". While Chelsea will find a group of players who last spring became champion, though in this to have stalled.
To motivate them probably will take longer, but his tactical approach will be fascinating to watch. Conte had his favorite 3-5-2 at Juventus, and sometimes uses this scheme and now the Italian national team, but that does not mean it will do the same and "Stamford Bridge". Earlier in his career - in Bari and Siena, Conte had great success with the attacking 4-2-4. He abandoned by Juventus, Pirlo to fit more easily into the team. It is pragmatic enough to sort things according to what we have. Follower of Arrigo Sacchi Conte likes his teams to be compact - both midfielders can engage in attack, but the attackers to come back and cover the liberated areas.
It is easy to see how some players Chelsea will fit his perception. Villas is just the kind of players who Conte loves: running a lot and was able to make the last pass in penal. Eden Hazard is also the "you" with this, although the manager will have more claims to his reluctance to go back than to the lack of goals lately.
On others, however, it will have a much harder. At Juventus Conte selected heterogeneous defenders with special skills and therefore may even have a role in John Terry - at least in theory. Antonio recently in an interview with "Tutosport" underlined his belief in meritocracy: "There is young and old, only winners and losers." Any player who hopes to be part of the plans of Conte Chelsea will have to convince him that wants to succeed at least as much as he wants and himself.