CONTE CELEBRATES WITH PLAYERS
Antonio Conte was so keen to
immerse himself in English football that he turned down the chance to speak
Italian after arriving at Chelsea, technical director Michael Emenalo has
revealed.
The former Italy manager has
proved a huge hit since moving to Stamford Bridge last summer, having helped
his side to the top of the table with 13 successive wins.
But in order to make his
transition to life in west London easier, Blues chiefs offered Conte the chance
to speak his native language both publicly and privately.
CONTE AT CHELSEA
Games played in all
competitions: 22
Wins: 18
Defeats: 3
Draws: 1
Watford boss Walter Mazzarri
currently uses a translator, while Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino spoke
in Spanish during his time at Southampton.
However, 47-year-old Conte
politely declined the opportunity, instead choosing to speak English in press
conferences and interviews despite being new to the country.
It was a move that impressed
senior figures at Chelsea including Emenalo, who told Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio: 'One of the first things I understood
about Antonio is that difficult moments are moments to learn.
'We wanted to give him the
freedom to speak in Italian, but we were very impressed that he wanted to
communicate in English from the first day.
'Everyone can see he is doing
an absolutely sensational job, so I am not surprised that the fans and
everybody loves him. We love him too. Personally, I think there's an
opportunity for him to stay forever.
'He has brought a lot of
knowledge, so many things to teach the players tactically, but also a
professional approach to the game. I think this has given the players
confidence.'
Conte will be looking to
extend Chelsea's lead at the top of the table to eight points when he takes his
side to London rivals Tottenham on Wednesday night.
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