The good, the bad and the ugly: Antonio Conte's arrival at Chelsea
After what has been a particularly difficult season of unrest and disappointment, Chelsea Football Club put the rumour mills to rest and finally announced the appointment of Antonio Conte as first team head coach on Monday, 4 April 2016. He will join the Blues after he has fulfilled his duties with his national side, Italy for Euro 2016.
Conte’s appointment is the latest in Chelsea’s complicated history with managers since Roman Abramovich took over as owner. As the current season nears the end, it’s well worth considering what the arrival of this particular newcomer means for the coming year.
The good – Recent victories as manager
The Italian’s time as manager at Juventus was a huge success at home in the Serie A. They won three consecutive league titles between 2011 and 2014 and broke numerous records. This led to his appointment as head coach of the Italian national team. Under his tutelage, the Azzuris qualified for this year’s Euro undefeated.
Antonio Conte’s tactical style of management makes him an interesting addition for the coming season. His time as manager at Juventus is evidence of his work ethic. The Italian is a firm believer in discipline, both on and off the field and Chelsea seem to be in most urgent need of management such as this.
With players flying off the handle with their antics this season, a thoroughly focused manager is essential to building up a comprehensive team. With other managers set to be replaced, the stage is ready for a whole new set of dynamics among all the Premiere League clubs.
The bad – Who stays and who goes
With no ties to his new club or football in England, Conte is expected to stir things up on arrival. It is hard to guess which players will get to stay and who will be shown the door. A hardened manager, Conte is not known for sentimentality and is expected to be quite brutal about squad selection.
While non-performing players should definitely be released or sold, Chelsea fans will be most concerned with the fate of their ever-loyal captain John Terry. With the Italian favouring variations of a 3-5-2 formation, it is unlikely the captain will stay on considering his age.
Juan Cuadrado who was loaned out to Juventus after spending an uneventful few months at Chelsea is set to return and get a fresh start. Stars of the club, Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois are also expected to leave.
The fate of Diego Costa is also in question. While no one will deny his sheer ability and talent, his behaviour on countless occasions, most recently his altercation with Gareth Barry where he seemed to have bitten the player, will make him an unpopular choice with Conte.
Atletico Madrid’s recent interest in signing him back also points to a possible departure. Unless of course, he promises to be a good boy who plays more and fights less.
Chelsea’s changing line-up in the past couple of weeks, which includes the likes of Matt Miazga, Baba Rahamn, Alexandro Pato, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kenedy, Bertrand Traore, etc. seems to be for the benefit of Conte who can see for himself the team’s potential.
The ugly – Murky past as manager
Conte doesn’t have the cleanest record as a manager with allegations of match-fixing perpetually dogging his footsteps. During his spell at Juventus, he served a four month ban for match-fixing during his time at the Serie B club, Siena.
At present, he is facing yet another charge of match-fixing which is expected to be resolved by the end of the summer. Chelsea fans around the world must be hoping that his duties with Italy don’t get in the way of setting things right at their club again. Needless to say, Chelsea might have been better off with another manager in light of their current season.
Stability, integrity and dedication should be the order of the day for the club and the appointment of a manager who has often been compared to Jose Mourinho might not be the best way to go.