When Chelsea manager Antonio Conte was asked, for the umpteenth time, whether or not he will be back at the club next season, he told a joke that had yesterday’s press conference in stitches. He later took on a more serious outlook, saying that his fate should not be decided by today’s FA Cup Final against Manchester United.
“There are people to judge your work,” Conte responded when asked if his job status should hinge on Saturday’s result at the national stadium.
“But it doesn’t depend upon lifting a trophy or winning a league. Sometimes you can win but the club decides to sack you anyway because they have a reason to do this.”
It is widely believed that today will be his final match in charge at Stamford Bridge, regardless of the result. Conte though feels pride in how this season turned out, even despite the fact that they entered as defending Premier League champions and exited as a side that didn’t even reach the top four.
Should the Blues lose today, they’ll finish this season without a trophy. Conte however, believes he did a fine job this season, even going so far as to say that he worked better this season, than during last year’s title campaign.
“For sure, I protect my work,” he added.
“I’m very pleased about my work, also this season. Because I think, this season, I worked better than last season. And, for sure, I worked harder than last season. As you know very well, there are other people to judge your work, to judge the season. I don’t think I’d be the right person to say: ‘Okay, if we win I plan this situation,’ or if we don’t, ‘we plan another situation’. I’m not interested in this. I’m interested in winning the final.”
Injury and Fitness Report for both teams: go to this link
United Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Chelsea Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Antonio Conte Press Conference Video: go to this link
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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