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Antonio Conte Chelsea Manager

Pre-Season Can Begin For Antonio Conte & Chelsea!

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

They say that football is a game where 22 men run around for up to 120 minutes and then the Germans win on penalties. The defeat of Italy means that Antonio Conte will say goodbye to the Azzurri and the real business of the summer begins as he looks to make his mark at Chelsea.

Antonio Conte comes with a pedigree but so have countless other managers before him like Felipe Scolari and Andre Villas Boas, to succeed he will need to make an impact and make it quickly.

Plenty of Work For Antonio Conte

He has plenty of work to do, there are problems to solve up and down the pitch to make the Blues competitive in a league where the standard has bumped up a notch in the last 18 months. During his time in charge of Italy our new coach has impressed with his tactical knowledge and passion, two things that Chelsea need in spades to turn things around.

The Blues need to close the leaks defensively whilst adding a more direct and attacking style of play that does not rely on making 100 passes before finally thinking about shooting on goal. In midfield the Blues need to add some solidity far too often last season teams would simply blast through the middle in one or two passes and create a chance that would take endless build up for Chelsea to create.

We are likely to see some changes in personnel and players that have been evergreen during the last 2-5 years may suddenly find their positions under threat unless they can step up to the plate.

It sounds simple doesn’t it concede less and score more, maybe this is why our level of tactical knowledge is restricted to posts on a fan site rather than managing the team ourselves.

We look forward to seeing what the first steps he takes are to move Chelsea forwards

 

 

What We Will Remember From Euro 2016

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments
The start of Euro 2016 highlighted the negative elements within the football supporter community, the violence and the hate of a small minority of fans. 
There were undoubtedly some English and Welsh fans looking for a fight, but they were nothing compared to the level of militaristic discipline and barbarism of the Russians who did not distinguish between casual fans and those looking for trouble. Something UK hooligans do, after all where is the pride and challenge in beating up people who are not looking for a fight that are unprepared.
You knew that things had gone up a notch when the Welsh and English fans band together to take on Russians in Lille.

Fans Having The Time Of Their Lives!

The fighting made the headlines, but as the tournament went on it was soon forgotten. Eclipsed by the camaraderie and sense of fun that dominated once the focus became on the football and a temporary break from the usual routine of life to watch the football.
 
We had Irish fans singing lullabies, fixing cars and dancing in the streets with Swedish fans. German players admitting that Will Grigg had their defence terrified
 
Plucky Icelanders with a clapping chant that reminds us more of Vikings than football. Iceland came to this tournament written off but kept believing and having fun, and they left with the respect of an entire tournament. 
 
Now just one home nation team is left and it is not Scotland so we will be cheering them on for all it is worth, yes they may never let us forget it should they win, but at least we beat them, something we can say about nobody else in the tournament.
 
When I remember Euro 2016, it is the stories of the fans, not the games we will remember, but this may just be because so far we have been unsuccessful in finding a Welsh descendant that allows us to claim glory!

What Brexit Could Mean To Football? – Chelsea Left Europe Months Ago

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

In politics, the UK looks to have voted by a wafer-thin margin to leave the European Union. It was a vote that divided opinion almost down the middle and has created an incredibly emotional response.

But there are more important things than the economy and self-determination, football is all we really care about.

Already we have seen fans across the world worried about what this could mean for football and the game that they love. As Chelsea fans, we decided to leave Europe months ago, but fear not. Our place at Europe’s top table of football will be waiting for Antonio Conte should he help Chelsea qualify for European football next season.

After all UEFA includes countries that are not just not part of the European Union, but those that are not even in Europe like Israel and 97% of Turkey. Even if UEFA decided to get vindictive like the political debate would Europe want to turn away one of the big financial draws.

The Premier League is one of the most popular football leagues in the world and this is unlikely to change regardless of whether the UK is part of a trade bloc.

What About Foreign Stars Post Brexit

The other aspect of Brexit that we have seen people talking about is Chelsea’s army of foreign stars. Whether this be from Europe or overseas stars that use European passports to play within the UK.

In the short term nothing will change the current players on the books will most likely be unaffected, how this will work in the long term will depend on the negotiations that take place in the coming months and years.

Players like Eden Hazard, Kurt Zouma and even our manager Antonio Conte will not have their passports revoked and business will essentially continue as normal. It may however make the club more apprehensive to invest in youth talent based on the current visa system.

Overall football and Chelsea will be fine, but fans will be watching with interest

See the full Telegraph analysis of Brexit on Football

 

 

 

Jose Mourinho To United Painful For Chelsea Fans

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

So it looks as if Jose Mourinho has found his next job and it will be a painful one for Chelsea fans. After Louis Van Gaal managed to bore everyone in the Premier League and fail to get results they are looking to a Chelsea legend to revive their fortunes.

Not everyone is convinced he is the right man for the job, those people are idiots. As sickening as it is Jose Mourinho will rally the troops and revive the fortunes of our great rivals.

The thought of him in the Old Trafford dug-out is sickening, the thought of a man we see as one of us managing Manchester United is enough to make anyone want to shove a piece of celery through their own skull.

However this is where we are. Mourinho has long flirted with the job and after we let him leave can we really be surprised that he has taken one of the few jobs in world football that will offer him a challenge at the level he needs to feel a sense of accomplishment.

I refuse to wish him well in his new job, but I refuse to hate him or judge him for the decision. During his time at the Bridge he delivered 3 Premier League titles and laid the foundations for a decade of dominance the first time out. Such was his impact that he will forever be the measure of a Chelsea manager just like the Matt Busby’s, Shanklys and Paisleys at other clubs.

He will always be a legend and will get a rousing reception when he returns to the Bridge, but I hope he fails and fails hard.

The ‘Special One’ may no longer be as special but we can not forget his achievements based on one poorly thought out decision to join Manchester United.

Chelsea Fans Make It Clear They Care About Only One Thing For Rest Of Season For Rest Of Season

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

Chelsea fans at Bournemouth on Saturday made it clear that only one thing matters between now and the end of the season and that is beating Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge next weekend.

Spurs are currently five points behind Leicester and whatever happens over the weekend if we defeat them we will effectively deny them the title and I don’t know about you but I cannot bear the idea of hearing Spurs fans celebrate a league title.

Therefore the message in the video below should be ringing in the ears of Chelsea players as they train this week!

Will Antonio Conte Fix It For Chelsea?

By Chelsea NewsOne Comment

Finally the worst kept secret in football has been outed and Antonio Conte has been confirmed as the manager tasked to rebuild after a shambolic 2015/2016 season that seems to be dragging on.

He will take on a team that were crowned champions just one year before but have fallen off a cliff. Conte will need to work out who can be salvaged and who will need to be moved on. He also has a mountain of loan players to sift through and we could see some head back, particularly Juan Cuadrado who has impressed again in Italy this season.

Conte is not someone we at FamousCFC.com have a lot of knowledge about but he has pedigree via Juventus and the Italy job, apparently he is a disciplinarian and this will be needed given the issues of the last 12 months.

It will be a tough job, but maybe Conte can be the one to fix what is broken at Chelsea!

Did You Make A Match Fixing Pun?

Never ones to take the easy road the Chelsea board have courted controversy once again by picking a man who is yet to be exonerated from a match fixing scandal earlier on in his managerial career. Although according to WAGNH a prominent Chelsea blog that has the time dig into these things we have not that much to worry about.

The case seems a little flimsy and as WAGNH state

SHOULD WE WORRY?

Probably not.  (Clearly, neither did Juve as they kept the faith during the initial investigations and trial, nor did the Italian FA themselves who then proceeded to hire the man to coach the national team!)

The latest reports all agree that Conte will be free to start the Chelsea job regardless of the outcome of the latest (last?) trial.  Prosecutors, after all, are not actually seeking a prison sentence.  Even if convicted, he will most likely receive the equivalent of a slap on the wrist, though obviously his reputation will suffer.  There’s no doubt in my mind that the media and the tabloids are frothing at the mouth at just such a prospect.  It’s a good thing we’re used to such things, right?

 

Where Were You When Pato Scored? (Video)

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

Where were you when Pato Scored?

The 2,000 Chelsea fans at Villa Park on Saturday were to witness a moment of unparalleled history as world football’s hide and seek champion Alexandre Pato finally emerged from the shadows to make his Chelsea debut.

He was greeted with hysteria by Chelsea fans who could not understand why he was signed to pick up a million quid in wages while blatantly injured and needing a pre-season before being fit. He is currently on track to be fit and at his best for the European Championships, just a shame he is not European really.

As he came on he was greeted by sarcastic cheers by Chelsea fans who went on to cheer every touch and chant “Give the Ball To Pato” at every opportunity, cheering every touch and booing every time he was dispossessed.

However that all changed at the end of the first half. Bundled over going for a cross in the box he won a penalty. Chelsea fans went crazy when they found out he was going to take it, the anticipation hit fever pitch. Fans already in the bar area for half time rushed back on the pitch, and it built to a crescendo before he finally fired the ball home, and everyone went mental.

WE WERE THERE WHEN PATO SCORED

Commentators and fans may find the way Pato was treated and the reaction to his goal strange, but in context, it makes perfect sense.

With the season nearly over and Pato unlikely to be part of plans the number of chances he is going to get to score again limited. After paying so much money and waiting for so long for his services it is only right we enjoy his moment of glory.

After all like an Arsenal or Liverpool title win, it is likely it will never happen again.

Emenalo To Be Named Chelsea Manager

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

Reports from Italy are suggesting that Antonio Conte has pulled out of a deal to join Chelsea as manager in the summer and Roman Abramovich is going to make an appointment from his trusted inner circle.

This means that much-loved fan favourite and technical director Michael Emenalo is poised to be handed the reigns at the club. Abramovich impressed with his work in recruiting Chelsea legends Papy Djilobodji and Michael Hector thinks that he is the man to lead Chelsea back to the club’s glory days.

His appointment is likely to be popular with Chelsea fans who see him as an antidote to managerial appointments such as Jose Mourinho who had too much experience to effectively run a top level football club. Emenalo was brought to Chelsea by managerial hero to fans Avram Grant in 2007, a manager who Emenalo had played under during his illustrious playing career.

Emenalo is described on the Chelsea FC website as

an important part of the first team management structure since his arrival in October 2007, and now supports the work of the first team manager, leading the club’s international and domestic scouting network, and assists in driving the technical programmes of our Academy and international youth network.

He will now be given more responsibility and a free reign to sign the players that he things will make Chelsea great again. However it is unclear as to whether he intends to stop Mexican striker Javier Hernandez from scoring, by building a wall that Juan Carlos Osorio will pay for.

It is rumoured he will be given a ten-year contract with a clause that guarantees he is always paid £1 more per week than the top earning player in the squad to ensure he can rule the squad with an iron fist.

Chelsea are expected to use his appointment as a springboard for a summer clearout with Willian likely to be the first player he looks to offload to make way for Stewart Downing as the club looks to rebuild an English core.

He starts work before midday on 1st of April 2016.

Chelsea banner Matthew Harding Upper

Away Ticket Price Cap £30 – Even Liverpool FC Helped

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

The Premier League stunned football fans today by showing common sense, decency and respect to fans that travel across the country to watch their teams play by introducing away ticket price cap of £30

This move comes after endless campaigning from fan groups that has seen teams across the country come under pressure to freeze and reduce ticket costs in light of the Premier league’s new £5bn television deal.

In reality this will not cost clubs that much money, away fans account for only around 10% of fans in a venue and the costs for home fans will continue to be set independently. But it is a huge gesture to fans that feel marginalised and ignored domestic fans with every passing season.

Away Ticket Prices Cap £30

This season FamousCFC.com have travelled to watch Chelsea play in the North, South, East and West of the country and with the cost of an away trip much more than the cost of a ticket.

There are train fares, food, beer and often due to silly television orchestrated kick off times overnight stays that need to be factored in. These can easily take the cost of going to watch Chelsea play away from home above £250 for a day out.

The change comes into effect from next season and it cannot come a day to soon. So all that is left to say is a thank you to the Premier League for listening and a huge thanks to the fans and fan groups that campaigned and put pressure on those in charge to take action.

This includes an unusual thank you to all the fans that protested over ticket prices. This includes Liverpool and Manchester City fans who have protested inside grounds during matches.. The Liverpool mass walk out recently was not only effective against the FSG group but piled on the pressure on money hungry executives.

Now let’s keep the campaign going and get home match prices down as well!