- Title: Chelsea's Conte on John Terry, Mourinho's reception and improvement in his team
- Date: 21st October 2016
- Summary: COBHAM, NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (OCTOBER 21, 2016) (REUTERS) CHELSEA MANAGER, ANTONIO CONTE ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, ANTONIO CONTE, TALKING ABOUT JOHN TERRY, SAYING: "John is a good fit, a good shape, and he trained with the team. Yes, he is good." REPORTER ASKING IF THERE IS STILL A PROBLEM WITH TERRY'S ANKLE "Yeah, yeah but he solved his problem in his ankle. Yeah, and in this week he's training very well and available for the game." CAMERAMAN FILMING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, ANTONIO CONTE, TALKING ABOUT CHELSEA TEAM, SAYING: "I want to see progress. I want to see progress compared to Liverpool and Arsenal. But I am confident about this because I saw fantastic commitment this week and I am confident." REPORTER WITH LAPTOP COMPUTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, ANTONIO CONTE, TALKING ABOUT MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "He was an important manager for Chelsea, and with the club, with the players, he wrote a part of the story. He won three championships and I think he was an important man for the club." CAMERA FILMING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, ANTONIO CONTE, TALKING ABOUT MOURINHO'S RECEPTION WHEN HE COMES TO STAMFORD BRIDGE, SAYING: "He deserves a good reception because I repeat he wrote with the club, with the players, with his staff, a part of the story of this club and I think that when he won three championships you remain in the heart of the fans. It is normal, this. And I think that he deserves this. Then, after the whistle, he becomes, like the other players of Manchester United, an enemy, but on the sportive aspect." REPORTERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, ANTONIO CONTE, TALKING ABOUT HIS REGARD FOR JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "Sure I have great respect for him. Sure he is a great manager. He won a lot in his career and I think that he deserves the maximum respect." REPORTERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, ANTONIO CONTE, SAYING: "I think on Sunday it will be a tactical game, a tactical game because usually when you face a great team, like Manchester United and Chelsea, it is important to prepare a tactical aspect and a technical aspect. To prepare two situations: offensive and defensive. But sure I think it can be a tactical game." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, ANTONIO CONTE, SAYING: "After many games in which we conceded two and sometimes three goals, and I repeat that this is not right, this is not a good way for Chelsea to concede so many goals, we change it. We change the system of play. And I think the team took a lot of benefit of this changement, because I think the players found the right suit with this type. And more compact, and above all without losing our danger in our offensive situation. And it is important also we know that we must continue to work and progress under this way. But at least I am pleased because in this week I am seeing the right commitment, the right work rate in the players, and the players trust in this system, this kind of work." END OF NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 5th November 2016 16:17
- Keywords: Chelsea Antonio Conte Premier League Manchester United
- Location: COBHAM, NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: COBHAM, NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00154Y7GAN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: John Terry has recovered from an ankle injury and will be available for Chelsea's home clash with Manchester United on Sunday (October 23), manager Antonio Conte said on Friday (October 21).
The Chelsea skipper, who has not played since early September, was unable to train on Thursday (October 20) after aggravating the injury but Conte said the 35-year-old would be ready for the clash against Jose Mourinho's United.
"John is in good shape," Conte told a news conference. "He trained with the team (on Friday). He solved his problem with his ankle. He's available for the game."
Terry has been out of action for five weeks since suffering the injury against Swansea City, although he did make the bench for last weekend's 3-0 defeat of champions Leicester City.
Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge, almost a year after he was sacked by the club for a second time following a dreadful start to the defence of their Premier league title, adds extra spice to the fixture this season.
Conte says he wants improvement from his club, and believes he is beginning to see it.
"I want to see progress. I want to see progress compared to Liverpool and Arsenal. But I am confident about this because I saw fantastic commitment this week and I am confident," he said.
The Portuguese is Chelsea's most successful manager, having won three league titles in two spells in charge, but Conte is trying to build his own legacy at Stamford Bridge and will hope to make it an unhappy homecoming for Mourinho.
"I have great respect for him," he said. "Sure he is a great manager. He won a lot in his career and I think that he deserves the maximum respect."
However he said that after the opening whistle Mourinho, and the other Manchester United players, would become, in sporting terms, the enemy.
The Italian said that he believed he had ended Chelsea's habit of conceding two or three goals in a game by changing the system. He said he was seeing an improved work rate by his players and they were learning to trust in the altered system of play.
Manchester City are currently top of the Premier League with Chelsea fifth with five wins out of eight played. Manchester United are seventh with four wins. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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