Chelsea boss Antonio Conte looks to be increasingly under pressure in the Stamford Bridge hot seat, with Monday nights humiliating 4-1 defeat to Watford the latest poor result in a frustrating season for the Blues, so much so that mainstream UK bookmakers now make Conte favourite to be the next manager to lose his job in the Premier League
Chelsea currently reside in 4th place in the Premier League, and remain very much in the mix for a top four spot. They were drawn at home to Hull City in the FA Cup fifth round, but will start huge underdogs over two legs against Barcelona in the Champions League knockout stages. But it is their Premier League form which is drawing all the attention, with only one win in their last 5 games, and conceding 7 goals in two games against the combined might of AFC Bournemouth and Watford.
Here, we take a look at who, in our opinion, would be the main three contenders to replace Conte if the axe falls :
LUIS ENRIQUE
The ex-Barcelona boss is currently without a job, and endured a fine tenure at the Nou Camp, winning two League titles, three Copa del Rey trophies and won the Champions League in 2015. He left the Barcelona position in June 2017 upon the expiration of his contract and has not returned to management since then. A stumbling here though could be Enrique’s wage and contract demands, which are expected to be in line with what Conte is on over a three year period, but Enrique wanting the same in just an initial 18 month stint. Still, his pedigree and reputation would surely make Roman Abramovich feel Enrique is the main to turn Chelsea’s fortune, and form, around.
ROBERTO MANCINI
Roman Abramovich clearly has a preference for Italian managers – since 2000, Italians have been in charge at Chelsea on five separate occasions – accounting for nearly half of their managers in that time (excluding temporary appointments. Roberto Mancini therefore comes very much into our thoughts – despite him currently being employed at Zenit St Petersburg. Mancini has a proven track record in the Premier League, after his successful time at Manchester City, winning an impressive 113 out of 190 games and lifting each of the main English trophies once over his four season spell. We would not at all be surprised to see Roberto becoming Chelsea’s next main Man (pun intended).
DIEGO SIMEONE
Who better to add some fire and steel to the Stamford Bridge mentality than Diego Simeone, who whilst currently excelling at Atletico Madrid, is surely flashing brightly on Abramovich’s radar and, we feel, that the Argentinian would love a crack at the Premier League. Whether he could be tempted to switch Madrid for London mid season is another question – especially with Atletico sitting pretty in second place in La Liga and being the only credible threat to Barcelona’s march to the title. But they failed to make the Champions League knockout phase and instead have a mundane looking fixture against Copenhagen to negotiate in the Europa League. Simeone may look to see the season out, but we know that if he does become the focus of Abramovich’s attention, he may well find it hard to resist taking charge at Chelsea.
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! DO YOU AGREE WITH OUR CHOICES? WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE INSTALLED SHOULD CONTE GET THE SACK? COMMENT BELOW!!