Chelsea manager Antonio Conte admits that he’s “very angry” and “sad” about how the 2017-18 season has gone for the defending Premier League champions. The Blues have almost no chance of even finishing in the top four this season, and unless they win the FA Cup, will finish the season trophy-less.
Conte maintains that he’s still committed to the club, and is trying to do everything he can to try and right the ship at Stamford Bridge. Last weekend Gianluca Vialli, a close friend of Conte’s and former Chelsea boss, said that the Italian simply “can’t wait to leave Chelsea” at the end of the season.
Conte strongly denies the validity of this narrative. He maintains that he’s still completely all in on his current gig.
“Those who know me very well, know that in this moment I am very angry. I am very sad for this situation,” he said at his weekly news conference today.
“Those who know me very well know I am trying to put all of myself to change this situation because I have great responsibility. I feel great responsibility for my work, for my family, for everything.”
“When I go to my house, it is not that I am relaxed but I know that I gave everything and I am giving everything for this club; 120 percent, every day. Sometimes it is very difficult to sleep with these types of problems.”
There has certainly been a ton of speculation about Conte’s job security this season, giving further credence to the idea that he and the club will part ways at the end of the season.
Antonio Conte disputes this idea as well, claiming he wants to see out the the third and final year of his contract.
“The people who stay very close to me they know very well my intentions; to stay, to stay here, to continue my job here,” he added. “This is the truth. You will see.”
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 corporation blogging community Chicago Now.
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