Sorry mate for all of EPL's complexity and difficulty, the UEFA co-efficient is proving to the contrary. We are seeing teams of this assumed wishy-washy leagues progress to advance stages in european competitions while the EPL's 'sky four' have been below par recently.

 

I was referring to serie A domestically where the big boys had a reputation of gaining 'outside help' to win match especially the old lady.. you know, it's a lady and it's old so special treatment... 

 

The UEFA co-efficient has nothing to do with it but even if we want to take that into account, don't forget that the so called co-efficient involves europa league performance where it's a known secret that english teams hardly give it a damn... Apart from last season 'heroic' by juventus in CL, their performance in that competition hasn't been great.. 

 

Pirlo is an interesting fella so for him to write such a glowing report about conte then maybe we should give conte the benefit of the doubt.. 

I recommend his book. It is short but very interesting. I like him even more after reading that. He drinks wine and plays Playstation.

I recommend his book. It is short but very interesting. I like him even more after reading that. He drinks wine and plays Playstation.

You'll love my book then

Good post, agree with all of it except one thing I am curious about - why is it you don't rate Allegri?

I appreciate he won the title with Milan and has done well with juve but I don't especially enjoy the football his sides play and his spell at juve has the caveat that he inherited an amazing situation from conte.

I should add his subs have been amazing at juve. I'm just not totally convinced by him. Conte is a special coach, I don't think allegri is.

Edited February 27, 201610 yr by g3.7

I appreciate he won the title with Milan and has done well with juve but I don't especially enjoy the football his sides play and his spell at juve has the caveat that he inherited an amazing situation from conte.

I should add his subs have been amazing at juve. I'm just not totally convinced by him. Conte is a special coach, I don't think allegri is.

Second this.

The more I read the more I like the idea of this appointment.

I hope Roman gets him, and allows him to manage his way.

I am ready for a period of Contenuity.

I am ready for a period of Contenuity.

I am rather excited by his Contemporary style management.

Edited March 1, 201610 yr by Zola Mio Fratello

So we sign Conte, Emanalo gets no credit but had we hired Pellegrini or Rafa everyone would hold Emanalo responsible.,lol

We need his no nonsense attitude.

We need his no nonsense attitude.

100% agree.

I hadn't read this thread until now but now that I have I'm pretty excited by the prospect of us getting Antonio Conte. He sounds like the sort of manager we need right now.

Wish he was here now to chuck some water bottles around in the dressing room. Maybe a water bottle to the head would wake a few of them up.

We should get him in now to get started instead of after the euros where there wont be as much time

I heard Conte was going to prison for matchfixing, and I was rightfully delighted at the news. 

 

Now the club can stop messing around and focus on Simeone. 

We should get him in now to get started instead of after the euros where there wont be as much time

Imagine all that media stir up about lack of professionalism and to be fair they would have a point. He's already committed to a role that would end after the euros, let him do his job and leave then. Best the board can do to aid him his maybe bring in his targets (or equivalent) for him and allow him bring as much staff as he wants. While he is away at the Euros, maybe his first team coaches/trainers/physios can at least put the players through his training methods and drills, so it would be an easier transition when he does arrive. As much as l love the Azzurris (favorite European team), I hope they are knocked out in the group phase.

I heard Conte was going to prison for matchfixing, and I was rightfully delighted at the news.

Now the club can stop messing around and focus on Simeone.

Conte has been successful everywhere he has gone. Underestimate him at your peril. I want Simeone as well but Conte can be just as good.

I like Conte but he's a huge punt.  Obviously appointing ANY manager comes with risk (look at the mess we're in under Van Loony for example.)

 

But my issue would be is that most manager's can win the league with Juventus as the opposition is so weak.  I've had fellow United supporters tell me they'd want Blanc as manager next season and I disagree with them.  I could manage PSG and win the league in France.

 

I'm not saying Conte is a bad manager, he's obviously a very good tactician.  But he'd be a far bigger risk than appointing someone like Hiddink full time, or trying to prize Pochettino away from Spurs (my favourite manager in the league, I think he's destined for big things.)

 

I actually think Hiddink deserves a few transfer windows and time to bring in his own players and own ideas.  I like him, think he's a very good manager.

Edited March 13, 201610 yr by RAWK Meltdown

I like Conte but he's a huge punt.  Obviously appointing ANY manager comes with risk (look at the mess we're in under Van Loony for example.)

 

But my issue would be is that most manager's can win the league with Juventus as the opposition is so weak.  I've had fellow United supporters tell me they'd want Blanc as manager next season and I disagree with them.  I could manage PSG and win the league in France.

 

I'm not saying Conte is a bad manager, he's obviously a very good tactician.  But he'd be a far bigger risk than appointing someone like Hiddink full time, or trying to prize Pochettino away from Spurs (my favourite manager in the league, I think he's destined for big things.)

 

He's a punt, but he also ticks a lot of boxes. We're a club without an identity at the moment and he seems to be capable of creating one whilst utilising existing assets.

 

I also agree that Pochettino might be a good shout because he's done something similar at Spurs, but the idea of giving Hiddink the job is the opposite of what we should be doing. If we're making a clean break from the Jose-era, and that seems unavoidable now, then Hiddink really isn't what's needed. He's a temporary splint, a half-measure when full-measures are needed. He's practically been in temporary retirement for a few years now and he's not a viable option for more than one season.

I like Conte but he's a huge punt. Obviously appointing ANY manager comes with risk (look at the mess we're in under Van Loony for example.)

But my issue would be is that most manager's can win the league with Juventus as the opposition is so weak. I've had fellow United supporters tell me they'd want Blanc as manager next season and I disagree with them. I could manage PSG and win the league in France.

I'm not saying Conte is a bad manager, he's obviously a very good tactician. But he'd be a far bigger risk than appointing someone like Hiddink full time, or trying to prize Pochettino away from Spurs (my favourite manager in the league, I think he's destined for big things.)

I actually think Hiddink deserves a few transfer windows and time to bring in his own players and own ideas. I like him, think he's a very good manager.

The reason a lot of managers could win with Juve is because of Conte. He built them to where they are and took them from 7th to 1st

I like Conte but he's a huge punt.  Obviously appointing ANY manager comes with risk (look at the mess we're in under Van Loony for example.)

 

But my issue would be is that most manager's can win the league with Juventus as the opposition is so weak.  I've had fellow United supporters tell me they'd want Blanc as manager next season and I disagree with them.  I could manage PSG and win the league in France.

 

I'm not saying Conte is a bad manager, he's obviously a very good tactician.  But he'd be a far bigger risk than appointing someone like Hiddink full time, or trying to prize Pochettino away from Spurs (my favourite manager in the league, I think he's destined for big things.)

 

I actually think Hiddink deserves a few transfer windows and time to bring in his own players and own ideas.  I like him, think he's a very good manager.

'Most managers can win with Juve as the opposition is so weak' isn't a valid argument at all imo. When Conte took over at Juve there were six other teams that were better than Juve and a number of managers had tried (and failed) to win with Juve. The strength of the opposition is all relative, but Juve were in no way a team on the up when Conte signed. Juve have dominated over the past few years because Conte gave the whole club the kick up the ass it needed and (together with the club's directors) carried out some incredible work. There's no comparison to the PSG situation - PSG are a club bankrolled by an oligarchy that essentially bought a squad. In Conte's time at Juve every single player signing was under 20m Euro, which is a ridiculously low fee for such a successful club.

 

Trust me, Conte is a better manager than both Hiddink and Pochettino. Time will tell whether he is successful at Chelsea, but I'm convinced that he has the ability to do brilliant work.

'Most managers can win with Juve as the opposition is so weak' isn't a valid argument at all imo. When Conte took over at Juve there were six other teams that were better than Juve and a number of managers had tried (and failed) to win with Juve. The strength of the opposition is all relative, but Juve were in no way a team on the up when Conte signed. Juve have dominated over the past few years because Conte gave the whole club the kick up the ass it needed and (together with the club's directors) carried out some incredible work. There's no comparison to the PSG situation - PSG are a club bankrolled by an oligarchy that essentially bought a squad. In Conte's time at Juve every single player signing was under 20m Euro, which is a ridiculously low fee for such a successful club.

Trust me, Conte is a better manager than both Hiddink and Pochettino. Time will tell whether he is successful at Chelsea, but I'm convinced that he has the ability to do brilliant work.

This. Is. A. Brilliant. Post.

We would be Conte-nding with Conte next season. This I believe :).

I don't know how much on an indication it is but from the team that did so well in the CL last season, signed by Conte:

 

Lichtsteiner

Pogba

Tevez

Pierlo

Barzagieli

Padoin

Llorente

matri

 

Bit of a mixed bag really

It's not really a mixed bag to be fair, all those players are undoubtedly seen as good signings. Also, Barzagli signed the season before Conte.

There are other players that joined during Conte's tenure (Vidal, Caceres, Ogbonna and Asamoah come to mind), but it's beside the point because managers in Italy aren't responsible for signing players. So Conte can't really take any credit or blame for those players.

Pirlo, for example, signed a few weeks before Conte was confirmed as manager, and Conte famously had no idea who Vidal was (he was offered a choice between Vidal and Inler, and luckily chose Vidal).