As it is every summer, there are a handful of storylines going into the new Premier League season, which kicks off on the 13th August.
This summer, though, there is no bigger story to watch than the twenty managers that will be operating in England’s top flight this coming season.
Jurgen Klopp’s first full season and summer transfer window at Liverpool bodes well for the Reds, while the Manchester rivalry has been ignited tenfold with the appointment of Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho as Manchester City and Manchester United managers, respectively.
Oh, and Antonio Conte will be replacing Mourinho as manager of Chelsea. The significance of the Italian’s move to England has flown under the radar for some time now, perhaps muzzled by the calamity of Manchester’s two new bosses taking over.
However, unlike Guardiola and Mourinho, Conte is currently in action at the Euros with Italy, whom he took over after a successful three-year spell with Juventus.
It was during his time in Turin that Conte put his name on the map as one of world football’s brightest managerial talents. After Cesare Prandelli stepped down following Italy’s exit from the 2014 World Cup, Conte saw the perfect opportunity to fulfil every football manager’s dream in managing his very own country.
Conte’s contract with the Italian national team was already set to expire after the 2016 Euros, but he was called upon by Chelsea due to their managerial vacancy. Conte knew going into the Euros that from the moment Italy kicked their last ball in the tournament, he would be turning his head towards West London.
It seemed that day would come sooner rather than later, too. Many predicted that this Italy squad would not make it far in the tournament, as they were dubbed one of the worst Italy teams in a decade. Not to mention, two of their key players, Marco Verratti and Claudio Marchisio, were to miss the tournament through injury.
Despite the outlandish predictions, it was just Monday afternoon that Italy dominated Spain in a 2-0 win, and in doing so secured their tickets to the Euro 2016 quarter-final against Germany.
There was most certainly buzz ahead of the tournament as many wondered what Conte would be able to do with his admittedly average Italian squad.
ESPN FC columnist Gabriele Marcotti noted before the Euros that Conte would have to make up for his weak team with an exceptional tactical plan. It would not be easy, though, as they opened up their campaign with a match against a highly-rated Belgium side powered by Eden Hazard.
But by the time the final whistle blew in Lyon, everything had changed. A weak Italy squad had convincingly beaten Belgium thanks to the tactical prowess of Conte. His fluid, flexible, and dynamic 3-5-2 formation was too much to handle for his opponents.
Conte’s team, which lacked any sort of star-power, was well-drilled into his tactical philosophy. His players seemed to know the exact role that they were required to play, understanding that if each of them were to trust their manager and do their jobs, the system would come together and result in victory for the team. Conte expects a whole lot from his players, but in doing so he promises this reward.
Twitter: #Giaccherini: “Everything was prepared down to the smallest detail. #Conte tells us everything. It was a well-deserved win.”
#ITAESP (@azzurri)
It isn’t just the results that have been impressive, though, it is the manner in which those results have been achieved that undisputedly makes Conte the best coach of the tournament thus far.
Conte’s underdog Italy managed to make Spain, a traditional footballing superpower, look embarrassingly inferior thanks to his genius 3-5-2 system that allowed them to create many chances and allow Spain virtually none. The match ended 2-0, but the final margin could have easily been greater.
However, it has been an eye-opening, clear comparisons between Italy and Chelsea’s situations that have left fans of the Londoner’s mouths watering at the prospect of Conte’s takeover.
For whatever reason, Chelsea’s squad, a team loaded with some of the world’s best talents, was inexplicably average last season as they finished tenth in the league, emphatically failing to defend their Premier League title.
If there is one manager who is capable of taking an average or even underperforming team and getting them to win matches through a solid tactical plan, it’s Conte. He’s done it with Italy (and dazzled us in the process), and from the moment the Azzurri bow out of the Euros, he’ll be looking to do it with Chelsea.
Conte’s first task will be to transform a squad that has operated in a 4-2-3-1 formation for the past handful of years into his flexible 3-5-2 scheme both through the transfer market and some specialised player training. But after that, he will have to win his players over by firing them up and getting them to play religiously into his tactical system and for the shirt with both pride and passion, like he’s done with Italy.
It may be a tough task, though. We all not-so-fondly remember the behind the scenes falling out that a majority of the Chelsea squad seemed to have with Mourinho last season and the effect it had on their performances on the pitch. But, again, if there is anyone who is capable of whipping them into shape, it’s Conte.
Twitter: The ball represents the 15/16 Chelsea squad. Just what they needed. #Conte #CFC https://t.co/pp1g8Qcj0l (@EvanMcMurtrie)
The passion that Conte has displayed so far has excited Chelsea fans because passion is something that the club as a whole lacked for the entirety of last season. Conte’s performance with Italy has been a clear indication that drastic change is coming to the club this summer, for the better.
Conte has not spoken a word of Chelsea at all, and is nowhere close to taking over at Stamford Bridge, but in just four games with Italy at Euro 2016, he has given Chelsea fans a newfound sense of hope, excitement, and a reason to believe that has been absent for over a year.
