Antonio Conte on turning Chelsea from ugly ducklings into beautiful swans
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has revealed that he relied on his single-mindedness during a mixed start to his task of reviving the club's fortunes.
The Blues seem set to sweep to the Premier League title in Conte's first season, but the Italian admits a stuttering start at Stamford Bridge tested his self-belief.
“The start of the season was a delicate, but not tragic, period. We won three matches, but I didn’t like the way we had won them,” he said.
Read more: Man Utd overtake Real Madrid to become world's richest club
“We need to compare it with the previous season, when Chelsea finished 10th, as we started off with roughly the same players. It’s not like all of a sudden you can transform from an ugly ducking into a swan.
“In those moments I just kept believing in my work. I thought: ‘If I have to die, at least I will die true to my own ideas.’ That’s why I was so strict in all senses and never looked for compromises.”
Victory over Arsenal on Saturday helped Chelsea extend their lead to nine points, although Conte is quick to dampen title talk or even identify which of the chasing pack poses the most realistic threat.
“I am concerned about all five clubs pursuing us. I’m not just saying that out of superstition; I talk from experience, especially as a player,” said the former Italy midfielder.
“Today when they talk about Chelsea as having already won the title I say: ‘Not yet.’ We still have 14 games to go and plenty of work to do. This is a league where anything is possible. We ourselves are proof of that at Chelsea.”