Antonio Conte responds to claims Chelsea stars want him sacked

Antonio Conte insists he has no concerns he is about to lose his job as Chelsea manager, despite admitting the Blues played with fear in their 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Watford.

Watford’s emphatic win cranked up the pressure on Conte, who this week challenged the Chelsea board to give him a public show of support.

But Conte’s players did little to strengthen his position as Tiemoue Bakayoko was sent off after 30 minutes at Vicarage Road, before Watford ran riot, scoring three times in a frantic final six minutes.

The heavy defeat comes after Chelsea were beaten 3-0 at home to Bournemouth on Wednesday and means they have now managed only two wins from their last 10 games in all competitions.

Conte, however, remained defiant: “I hope that, tonight, for once you understand me. I’m not worried. I’m not worried about my job.

“I work every day, and I give 120 per cent. Okay? If this is enough, it’s okay. Otherwise, the club can take a different decision. But I’m not worried.

“It’s very difficult because, every day and every press conference, you ask me if I’m worried. No. I’m not worried. Tomorrow is another day. I can be the Chelsea coach or not.”

In a message of defiance to his critics, Conte continued: “Where is the problem? My soul is clear. I go to sleep without a problem that maybe, maybe, I could do this or that. I try to do everything. If it’s not good, the club can make a different decision. Life goes on.”

There has been reports in the media that Conte has lost the support of all but one of his players at Chelsea and asked if he believes his players want him sacked, Conte responded: “But do you think that a club can decide to sack a coach if there is not the support of the players?

“I think only here, only here, you think this. You think that the players have this power? Yes? This is wrong. This is wrong.

“If this happens, okay. But, I repeat, in my life when I was a player, I was captain of Juventus and never, ever, did I speak about a coach with my club. And, if the club tried to ask me, [I said] ‘this is not my problem’.”

 

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