Antonio Conte promised a “re-start” at Chelsea yesterday, and is targeting three new signings to help deliver it. Conte was speaking at his unveiling at Stamford Bridge, on just his second day of working with his new Chelsea squad.
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It also brought another managerial carousel, with Jose Mourinho dismissed once again replaced by Guus Hiddink.
John Terry took a pay cut of £90,000-a-week to sign his latest contract extension with the club recently.
“First and foremost, I felt very emotional about coming to Chelsea and it feels incredible”, Conte told reporters.
“He’s captain of this team, he’s a great player, with a great personality, with great charisma”.
He continued, saying “the most important message is that I’m a worker” and “I like to work, and I know only this road to win” for this “club to compete and to get back into the Champions League, to get back to winning the title”.
He added: “John Terry is an important player for me, for the fans, for the club”.
One player who thought he was leaving Chelsea is Terry, who will stay as skipper. “He is the captain always”. “I am very happy that Batshuayi is with us and I know the club bought a great player for the present and the future”.
“I think I can improve my players and I am sure that we can improve through a lot of work”. “I stayed in Brazil with my family and we did a lot of travelling within the country, so it was very enjoyable”, the Brazilian explained. I am very pleased that John signed a new deal.
Nevertheless, the 46-year-old insists he is not wedded to this approach and will find a system to suit the players at his disposal. “A tailor who must build a dress, the best dress for the team”. All the players know that I will see them in training to choose my starting 11.
Oscar has been linked with Conte’s former side Juve in recent weeks but the Brazilian appears to have put an end to these rumours by stressing his desire to return to first-team action with Chelsea after a long summer.
“I’m very happy because I found a right attitude in Cobham (Chelsea’s Surrey training base)”. What is important for us is the right spirit of the team if we want to compete for the title, and to give good organisation and good training in the tactical and physical aspects.
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He said: ‘I missed playing and I’m glad to be back. “Being Italian, I will do my best”. I know only this word: “work, work and work”. “I hope so. But it’s important for me that I don’t change my idea, my philosophy, my methods”.
