Our Chelsea fans here in the Transfer Tavern are looking at who could possibly be replacing Antonio Conte if his time is up at the club, either now or at the end of the campaign.
The Italian hasn’t had the best of seasons so far and it seems, to our regulars, that the curse of winning the Premier League is striking again. In recent seasons many managers that have won the title have been dismissed the season after and it’s looking like it’s following suit this year too.
So far this year, Conte has only won three games and after being knocked out of the Carabao Cup semi-final by rivals Arsenal the pressure cooker of Stamford Bridge has really heated up. Much has been made of former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique taking over at the helm, but as of yet, it seems they are sticking with Conte.
Indeed, Enrique would be a good replacement, but some of our punters feel that these TWO names may be better suited to the Blues…
Maurizio Sarri
The Napoli boss is a perfect fit for the Blues, without a doubt. He has a team identity that somewhat mirrors that of Pep Guardiola, with his high press and attacking philosophy. At the moment, his Napoli side are leading the way in Serie A and gaining some admirers from across Europe.
Another Italian could be the right way to go for the Chelsea board. The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and now Conte have won league titles, so they seem to be very successful and popular with the Stamford Bridge faithful.
Diego Simeone
The hard-faced Argentine could be exactly what Chelsea need to rejuvenate the club. Simeone has revitalised Atletico Madrid into one of the toughest sides to beat across Europe in recent years, and he’s not afraid to stick his neck out on the line if he needs to which creates a group mentality that Chelsea are used to.
He’s ruffled some feathers along the way, but if the board want success, a manager with his winning mindset and talent may be the answer.
