Antonio Conte reveals secret chat with John Terry after Chelsea legend complained about training sessions during Italian's stint at Stamford Bridge
Antonio Conte has revealed how he handled Chelsea players who took issue with his 'tough' training methods.
The 55-year-old has established himself as one of the world's best managers having won four league titles with four different clubs - including his current side Napoli.
He is known for his meticulous preparation and uncompromising approach to physical training with his players.
And Conte has now opened up on the reason why he's stubborn on his methods after accepting a request from John Terry in 2016.
'One time, the Chelsea captain came to me to ask to slow down the pace (of training), to do fewer video sessions. I agreed, mainly out of respect to their culture, their different way of approaching football,' Conte told Corriere della Sera.
'When you're in a different country, you have to be careful to not cause too much upset.
'Well, we lost two games in a row and I risked being sacked,' he continued.
'Since then, I always think that if I have to 'die' as a result of the choices that have been made, I have to do it my way, and not in the hands of others. This is the way. 'Trust the process' as they say in England.
'And when I think back to how tough training was, I smile. Zidane and Del Piero trained much harder. Today, we do about a third of what we used to do.
'The work has to be linked to the results on the pitch. I've coached teams where after a little while, the players themselves began to identify dangerous situations. For me, that means that we've achieved the right result.'
Conte enjoyed remarkable success with Chelsea in his first campaign, briefly shaking up English football with a 3-4-3 formation that saw the Blues storm to the Premier League title.
His second season was blighted by squad disharmony and disagreements with the hierarchy, particularly over transfer targets and finances, though they did still win the FA Cup.
After departing Stamford Bridge, Conte took charge of Inter Milan and won the Scudetto in his first season in charge.
He then managed the Chelsea's rivals Tottenham before returning to Italy last year to take charge of Napoli, who won their fourth Serie title last month.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
21 minutes ago
- The Sun
Man Utd outcast Rashford says he wants to join Barcelona in come-and-get-me transfer plea and ready to switch positions
MARCUS RASHFORD says he wants to join Barcelona after issuing a come-and-get-me transfer plea. The Manchester United misfit also declared that he dreams of playing alongside Barca and Spain superstar Lamine Yamal. 1 And Rashford is even ready to switch from his natural position on the wing to an outright No9 role to make the move happen. Speaking to YouTube channel XBuyer, Rashford was asked whether he wants to play with Yamal one day. The former Aston Villa loanee declared: "Yeah, sure. Everybody in the world wants to play with the best. So hopefully, we'll see..." THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Moises Caicedo says Chelsea will learn from Flamengo defeat
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo insists lessons will be learnt from Friday's loss to Flamengo at the Club World Cup. The Blues capitulated in the second half in Philadelphia, surrendering a lead to lose 3-1 to the Brazilians and finish with 10 men. Most of the damage was done in a torrid six-minute spell in which they conceded twice and had Nicolas Jackson – just four minutes after coming off the bench – sent off for a reckless tackle. The result leaves them second in Group D with a win and a loss and potentially facing a more difficult route through the competition, with a possible clash against Bayern Munich in the last 16. 'It was difficult to take, but now we are focusing on the next game,' said Caicedo. 'For sure, we need to learn from this game. We need to react. 'I think the team played well but you need to be focused for 95 minutes in this game because, in one second, you can lose the game and that was what happened.' Flamengo looked the more energetic side but they lacked a cutting edge in the first half and it was Chelsea who carried the greater threat through some quick counter-attacks. Liam Delap, making his full debut in place of Jackson, forced a good save before Pedro Neto broke from halfway to open the scoring with a well-taken strike in the 14th minute. A feisty contest tilted in Flamengo's favour when Bruno Henrique equalised just after the hour and veteran Danilo followed up with a second three minutes later. The Premier League side were still reeling when Jackson was shown a straight red card for an aggressive studs-up challenge on Ayrton Lucas. It was his second sending off in four appearances for the club and ended their hopes of fighting back. Wallace Yan wrapped up the scoring seven minutes from time. Manager Enzo Maresca partly put the defeat – and a subdued performance from key playmaker Cole Palmer in a wider role – down to experimentation ahead of next season. The Italian said: 'It's not just about Cole. In the last two days we tried something completely different. 'For the first time we played in a different structure, just to prepare also for next season, to have more options. 'I think the plan was quite good for one hour until we conceded the goal, but I think at the end they deserved to win the game. 'Flamengo are a very good team with good players, with a good manager. They played very well.'
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Nicolas Jackson says he is ‘so angry at myself' after red card in Flamengo loss
Nicolas Jackson apologised after his costly sending-off in Chelsea's Club World Cup implosion against Flamengo. The Senegal striker was shown a straight red card – just four minutes after coming off the bench – for an aggressive studs-up challenge on Ayrton Lucas in Friday's 3-1 defeat in Philadelphia. Advertisement It came amid a calamitous six-minute spell in the second period in which the Blues also conceded two goals to surrender their half-time lead. Jackson (centre) was dismissed after fouling Ayrton Lucas. Photo: Chris Szagola/AP. It was also Jackson's second dismissal in just four appearances having also been given his marching orders for a forearm crack on Newcastle's Sven Botman in a Premier League match last month. 'I want to say sorry,' Jackson wrote on Instagram on what was a 24th birthday to forget. 'To the club, the staff, my teammates, and all the fans watching, I let you down. 'Another red card… And honestly, I'm so angry at myself. I work hard every day to help the team not to put us in this kind of situation. Advertisement 'I still don't fully understand how it happened. But one thing is clear: it wasn't intentional. Just a moment in football that went the wrong way. 'No excuses. I take full responsibility. I'll reflect, I'll grow, and I'll come back stronger for the badge and for everyone who believes in me. 'Sorry. Sorry, Sorry.' 🔴⚫️ A comeback win for @Flamengo ! #FIFACWC — FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 21, 2025 Jackson's moment of madness, in which he forcefully caught Lucas on the shin, effectively ended Chelsea's hopes of getting back into the Group D contest at Lincoln Financial Field. Advertisement Enzo Maresca's side were already reeling after Pedro Neto's well-taken 14th-minute opener was cancelled out by Bruno Henrique after 62 minutes and quickly followed by another goal for veteran Danilo. Wallace Yan wrapped up the scoring seven minutes from time, putting Flamengo in charge of the group and potentially making Chelsea's route through the tournament complicated. Defender Marc Cucurella suggested discipline was an area Jackson needed to work on. The defender told DAZN: 'He is young player, he has a lot of quality, he maybe needs to improve this a little bit. We are here to improve, we are not perfect so it is part of the game.' Advertisement Maresca did not deny the sending-off was damaging, though he tempered criticism by claiming it was not a clear-cut decision. Maresca said: 'Those six minutes completely changed the dynamic of the game. 'I'm not 100 per cent sure that it's a red card compared to the Newcastle one, but it can be and the referee decided it. 'It's a little bit of a bad moment for Nico in these things. He knows very well that both situations were not something good for the team.' Advertisement Former Chelsea defender Filipe Luis, now the manager of Flamengo, backed Jackson to bounce back. 'It was a little mistake,' he said. 'It was a clear red for me but it is a small detail for a player who can be one of the biggest strikers in the world.' Chelsea, who now have three points from their opening two games, face ES Tunis in their final group game on Tuesday night (2am Wednesday BST).
