Conte and Hazard must stay!
Top flight football is an unforgiving and ruthless sport, especially in the big business of the Premier League.
Chelsea’s season concluded with an FA Cup win over Manchester United, although the celebrations have been overshadowed by the future of manager Antonio Conte and their leading player Eden Hazard.
Conte has just finished his second season in charge of the club, with his team’s final win quite possibly the last time he will be in charge of this team. A manager that delivered the Premier League title in his first season in charge and then followed that up with an FA Cup win faces being sacked, is a quite unbelievable scenario to even contemplate.
If Chelsea want to keep stability then letting Conte go is a massive gamble, however not being able to hold onto their very best player Eden Hazard, will surely be an even more detrimental decision.
Hazard started the season slowly, although he has been nothing short of spectacular during the second half of the season, which of course reignites all the transfer speculation.
With Griezmann going to Barcelona, it seems a move to the Camp Nou is unlikely, but then Real Madrid have always been the team linked with the Belgium captain.
Real will undoubtedly be looking to clear out some of the dead wood and make a few big name signings this summer, with Hazard firmly on their radar. If Belgium, and in particular Hazard shines during the World Cup this summer, will Chelsea be in a position to say no to any offers for the player that could be valued around the £150 million mark?
The answer to this is simple, don’t sell Hazard! If anything, Chelsea need to be looking to sign one or two world class players if they are to challenge for the title next season.
The winning goal on your 3⃣0⃣0⃣th appearance for Chelsea.
Well played, @hazardeden10! ???? #FACupFinal pic.twitter.com/Oib8n9BE7l
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 19, 2018
As for Conte, he was a class player during his time, winning no less than 13 major trophies. During his 7 years at the helm of Juventus and Chelsea he has delivered as many pieces of silverware, credentials that support the Italian is one of the very best managers out there at the moment. Conte only knows one thing, and that is how to win. Why on earth would any club want to get rid of someone like this?
That said, this is Chelsea football club, owned by Roman Abramovich, a man that is only interested in success on the pitch, which of course in the business world of football translates into success in the boardroom. The Russian billionaire is a business man first and a football fan second, and when you take this into account, it is no wonder his club has had 14 managers since he bought the club back in 2003.
Jose Mourinho, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink, Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez are just some of the world class names that have been on the receiving end of this ruthless mentality and found themselves surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge. Surely Antonio Conte would have considered this when he took the job?
If Conte does get the bullet, it simply highlights again that at least getting a top four finish, which guarantees Champions League football, seems to be the minimum of expectations at Stamford Bridge, and that winning the FA Cup is no longer a priority for those that pull the purse strings.
Chelsea are not that far off, after all it was only a year ago they were crowned Premier League champions. What needs to be achieved here is quite simple, keep Conte and Hazard first of all, then back that up in the transfer window with some top class signings.
