Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says that he would like to emulate departing Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and manage a club for many seasons.
The football world was shocked by the timing of Wenger’s Friday morning announcement.
But very few were surprised the Frenchman would be leaving at the end of the season, after another disappointing campaign caused further frustration for Arsenal fans.
Conte is also facing the prospect of a potential departure, after Chelsea failed to replicate the success they enjoyed last season, while even a place in the top four now looks in doubt.
In an interview with reporters, the Italian says that he has always wanted to find himself at a club for the long term, but admits that he needs to find the “right situation.”
“When you start to work for a new club, for sure your hope is to stay for many years because you bring your culture, you bring your football, you bring your methodology and your mentality,” Conte, according to Goal, told reporters.
“Sometimes this is possible because you find the right situation.
“Sometimes this is not possible. But we must be ready, for every coach, every experience you start in your mind, there is the hope to stay for many years. You have to know that, every time you change and go to another team, you have to restart.
Conte added: “In the present, football is not the same like in the past. In England, you can see this difference. Now every club is ready to change manager if you don’t get results, if you don’t win.
Conte might be able to salvage his Chelsea career if he succeeds in breaking into the top four at the end of the season, and he will be hoping he can capitalise on Liverpool’s failure to defeat West Brom on Saturday by closing the distance on the Reds – who they play before the end of the campaign.
