MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017 SPORTS Hardline Conte tells Chelsea to go for the kill LONDON: Antonio Conte is on the boss arrived at Stamford Bridge last July tem and the Blues immediately reeled players happy. We must win,” Conte said. than looking ahead to a potential title verge of winning the Premier League in he faced the tricky task of uniting a off 13 consecutive league wins. But, just “You speak about ‘happy’. I speak about celebration later in the week. his first season at Chelsea and the squad split into feuding cliques follow- as significantly, Conte persuaded his ‘to win’ and to work very hard. “Players “For me it’s not the first time to win uncompromising Italian has challenged ing Jose Mourinho’s sacking the previ- players to buy into his belief that the are not always happy to work very hard. the title. I have a good experience to his players to now go in for the kill. ous season. Against that acrimonious foundations for success are laid on the But I think my target is to put in the face this type of situation,” he said. “But it Buoyed by second-placed Tottenham’s backdrop it was something of a gamble training pitch, where focus on tactical mind of my players a winning mentality. won’t be easy until the end. My expecta- 1-0 defeat West Ham on Friday, Conte’s by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to discipline, patterns of play and supreme “It’s very difficult to keep 20 players hap- tion for this game is we must play a side host Middlesbrough today know- hire a manager with no experience of physical fitness have all been rewarded. py. I want players ready to fight and to great game against Middlesbrough. ing they need six points from their last the Premier League. At first Conte Ensuring that powerful dressing room try to put themselves in the team, to try “They are struggling to avoid relegation. four games to be crowned champions. seemed unsure how he would tame a voices like John Terry, Diego Costa and to win together. We must be ready to fight, ready to find A title race that looked set to go down team of prickly and fragile egos and the Cesc Fabregas weren’t granted special “Then, if you are happy or unhappy, I the right way to take three points.” With to the wire now seems certain to be a alarm bells were ringing when treatment also won over players who felt don’t care.” Having won Serie A five only one win in their last 18 matches, lengthy coronation party for Chelsea, Abramovich felt compelled to make a undervalued during Mourinho’s turbu- times with Juventus, Conte knows how second-bottom Middlesbrough must who can clinch the trophy with a victo- visit to Chelsea’s training ground follow- lent reign. to insulate his players from the pressures win today and hope other results go ry at West Bromwich Albion next Friday, ing successive defeats against Liverpool of the title battle and it would be a their way to have any chance of a dra- providing they defeat Middlesbrough and Arsenal in September. WINNING MENTALITY major surprise if they surrender their matic escape from relegation. “We’ve not first. That would cap an incredible Those chastening results have been Conte this week gave a glimpse of four-point lead over Tottenham. The 47- had much luck this season. If that comes revival of Chelsea’s fortunes under heralded as the turning point in the steely streak he has imposed on his year-old isn’t taking anything for grant- our way over the next few days, then Conte’s astute leadership. Chelsea’s season as Conte switched to players so impressively. “I like to under- ed however and urged his players to we’ll take it,” Middlesbrough manager When the former Italy and Juventus his preferred three-man defensive sys- line a concept, I don’t have to keep the focus on beating Middlesbrough rather Steve Agnew said.— AFP Robson set benchmark for English managers abroad LONDON: English football managers English managers. “Nowadays it looks to should take a leaf out of the late Bobby me that English managers either don’t like Robson’s book, Manchester United’s Jose to go abroad or people abroad think Mourinho told the Mail yesterday. English managers are for the English game,” Mourinho formed a close friendship with said Mourinho. “They haven’t had someone Robson-who died in 2009 from cancer-first to open the door for them in the last as his interpreter at Sporting Lisbon and decade. “To be honest, I think that myself, then at Porto whilst at the same time (Pep) Guardiola and (Carlo) Ancelotti are becoming a tactical analyst, the duo’s time guilty of why it’s quite trendy to have man- together peaking at Barcelona. agers from Portugal or Spain or Italy. Mourinho, who later Sunday tackles “Obviously the other guys then have to Arsenal in a pivotal match in the race to fin- do well to keep it going, Leonardo Jardim ish in the Premier League top four and earn at Monaco is doing phenomenal, Antonio Champions League qualification, spoke to Conte at Chelsea, others. “Maybe also in the newspaper as part of the 20th anniver- England, they don’t have the jobs that sary of Robson coaching Barcelona to a give access to the big prizes. If you have a Cup Winners Cup victory over holders Paris British manager like Tony Pulis and you are Saint-Germain. Robson, who guided at West Bromwich Albion, it is very difficult England to the 1990 World Cup semi-finals to win a European Cup.” Mourinho, who where they lost to the then-West Germany has gone on to be one of the most suc- on penalties, was able to adapt to cessful managers in club football, said it European football, said Mourinho, and han- was no surprise that several of the dled the fallout of replacing Dutch legend Barcelona side went on to become really Johan Cruyff at the helm brilliantly. successful club coache. “Sir Bobby’s mentality was to be very Amongst those are Luis Enrique, who open-minded,” Mourinho told the newspa- coached Barcelona to the treble in 2015, per. “He enjoyed living and coaching Guardiola, who led Barcelona to two abroad, meeting different people. “He was Champions League triumphs amongst a humble despite his experience. “He wanted plethora of other trophies, and Juan to learn the differences between the Antonio Pizzi, who won the 2016 Copa leagues and didn’t mind asking for advice America with Chile. “When you are intelli- or asking for help. “He changed and gent, you learn to drink from every source improved through the new experiences. He and Cruyff and (Louis) Van Gaal (who arrived in Portugal as a 4-4-2 coach when replaced Robson) were also important,” NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez celebrates with the Championship trophy after they won their English Championship soc- every team there played with lots of people Mourinho said. “But Bobby’s leadership cer match against Barnsley at St James’ Park, Newcastle yesterday. — AP in midfield. “He understood that he needed was phenomenal and that is a very impor- to change so he became more multi-func- tant part of management.” Mourinho said tional. Even as an older manager.” Robson had taught him another important Mourinho, who said Robson proved a lesson. “I would always get really upset Blackburn make unwanted rock when he lost his sister and mother-in- after bad results, I am still the same, but law in the same year as his daughter was Bobby helped me by saying if I thought of born, said this spirit of adventure and will- the other dressing room, that the other history, Newcastle win title ingness to learn new things by coaching guys are very happy, it makes you feel less abroad is no longer a characteristic of sad,” said Mourinho.—AFP Former EPL champion Blackburn plunge into 3rd tier LONDON: Blackburn Rovers became the first going into the net and the Seagulls were held penalty-shortly after a superb save by their Premier League champions to drop into the 1-1. Blackburn at least departed with a 3-1 win ‘keeper Jordan Smith had kept the scores level- third tier of English football on Sunday whilst over Brentford but that was little consolation as and added his second and the hosts’ third with Newcastle claimed the Championship title on a they contemplate League One and third tier an excellent solo effort in the second-half. nerve-racking final day of the regular season. football for the first time since 1980. That had Forest manager Mark Warburton, Wins for another historic club, two-time “We gave it everything we had today. It is a who took the job after an acrimonious depar- European champions Nottingham Forest - 3-0 really disappointed day because we gave it ture from Scottish giants Rangers earlier this over Ipswich-and Chinese-owned Birmingham absolutely everything,” Rovers midfielder Jason season, charging down the touchline fist City, who beat Bristol City 1-0, condemned Lowe told Sky Sports. “We knew if we won pumping in celebration. Birmingham, whose Rovers, owned by Indian poultry firm Venkys, to today we still didn’t know what it would mean.” wounds were largely self-inflicted with a dis- the drop. Rafael Benitez-managed Newcastle Things had looked extremely rosy for Rovers astrous run under Gianfranco Zola after the did what they had to do beating Barnsley 3-0 early on as they stormed into a 2-0 lead-Scottish owners removed Gary Rowett despite being but it took a howler from Brighton goalkeeper international midfielder Charlie Mulgrew’s goal, just outside the play-offs, scraped the win David Stockdale to ensure they returned to the a delightful freekick, the pick of the two.