Antonio Conte’s exit from Chelsea has been long coming. Tensions between the former Juventus manager and the Chelsea board over transfer policy have ensued for the majority of the past year, adding to the clashes with senior players and a spectacular decline in form on the pitch in 2018.
Much of the damage to the relationship with his employers was done by Conte’s own public comments.
After winning teh Premier League title in his first season in charge of the Blues, Conte stepped up hos notoriety in press conferences, demanding for more players and inisting he does not alligned with Chelsea’s transfer policy. The season went bad, Chelsea fell out of the race for the title and eventually lost out on top four. Their Champions League campaign was cur short by Barcelona in the R16 while the last four was the final stop for Chelsea in teh Carabao Cup.
Despite winning the FA Cup, Conte could not convince Chelsea’s top hierarchy to remain beyond last season.
Conte has led Chelsea from the dugout 106 times, with a decent 69 wins, 20 draws and 17 losses. His win ratio as Celsea manager stands at 67.1% and is actually better than Sir Alex Ferguson’s 65.2%. But that matters little when your back is against the wall at a club like Chelsea. Many managers have comeand gone, and the club seemsto churn out positive results from their squads each time theysack a manager.
After several rumors the Blues are edging close to hiring Maurizio Sarri, that deal seems closer now that Conte is gone. Two trophies in two seasons, plus the defining tactics that changed English football to go three-back since 2016, Conte has left a mark in the Premier League. His Blues army will march on, but without the fabled Italian godfather.
