Whilst the media try to look for the negative in Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to league leaders Manchester City, and as Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and Ronald Koeman at Everton seem immune from criticism. Antonio Conte has been speaking on the Chelsea Website about the quality there is in the Chelsea squad and praising the commitment that they are showing him. This, despite those same media commentators trying to rock the CFC boat.
‘I see my players every day and I am proud to be their coach because I see their commitment in every training session and every game and I am pleased for this,’ he said. ‘For sure, to defend the title is very difficult because the past has shown it is very difficult to win two titles in a row.’
Saturday`s defeat was a setback, but it is only one game, titles are won over a season not a weekend. Conte knows it, and won`t be dwelling on the past,
‘I think we can`t have regrets and we gave everything. All my players gave 120 per cent to try to make a good result, but it wasn’t so. Sometimes you have to accept a bad result, but I think the most important thing is to see the fantastic attitude and commitment of my players because they gave everything.’
Meanwhile, up in Liverpool, the Reds fail to beat Newcastle, Everton lose at home to Burnley, and although Koeman is now coming under media pressure, respected sports radio station Talksport are lining up six managers to replace Conte next season. Klopp, has had four transfer windows to turn around Liverpool. On his Wikipedia page, under managerial honours, at Liverpool, he has achieved the Premier League Manager of the Month award for September 2016.
By contrast Antonio Conte`s page reveals a Premier League title, three Premier League Manager of the Month awards, London Football Awards Manager of the Year 2017, Premier League Manager of the Season, League Manager`s Association Manager of the Year 2017, not forgetting the Special Achievement of the Year Award from GQ magazine.
And Conte is moving on. If Jose Mourinho believed he was ‘a special one’, Klopp must be considered an extremely special one. Just saying.
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