Willian’s schoolboy antics are wrong – but it’s Chelsea who have allowed it to happen

No matter what your thoughts are about Willian and Antonio Conte, it’s hard to disagree that what the Brazilian did in the aftermath of the FA Cup win was inexcusable.

The winger covered up his manager in a picture on his Instagram celebrating the victory, presumably annoyed at not being picked in the starting lineup.

But aside from criticising his individual actions, this story encapsulates the damaging effects of the state of limbo at Chelsea.

There are plenty of players who are prone to doing far more stupid things than this minor act of petulance, but they are kept in line by knowing they will be held accountable for their actions.

The reason Willian thought he could get away with it is because he, like everyone else, knows Conte is a lame duck. Players have no fear of a manager who is on the way out, and that’s been precisely the problem this season.

As Conte has moved closer and closer to the exit, the players’ motivation and discipline has decreased. That’s lead to worse performances, which have in turn made the manager’s future less certain.

It’s a cycle that has spun out of control since Christmas, and while it’s never been quite true to say that the players “aren’t playing for the manager”, it’s heading in that direction.

A manager’s authority depends on the belief that bad actions now will have consequences in the future. Like schoolchildren running riot under a substitute teacher, Chelsea’s stars can behave badly knowing that their boss won’t be there next week to check they’ve done their detention – and that’s the fault of the club.

Chelsea News