Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has begun to unravel the strict regime put in place by former Blues coach Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge, according to a report today.
Former Juventus coach Conte enjoyed a superb first season in English football, winning the 2016/17 Premier League title, but Blues players soon tired of his strict approach to management and Chelsea would finish in a disappointing fifth place in the league last season, missing out on qualification for the Champions League.
According to respected journalist Sam Wallace, Sarri has recognised the need for his players to relax and is set to loosen rules surrounding match preparation and diet:
”The new Chelsea manager has abandoned the practice of the squad staying together at the Chelsea Harbour hotel on nights before they have an evening game at Stamford Bridge the following day, a measure that was introduced by Conte and was unpopular with many of the players. They are now free to stay at home and join up with their team-mates on matchday instead.’’ Wallace wrote in the Telegraph.
”Sarri has also permitted a wider choice of food in the training ground canteen and also in hotels when they are away from home to try to create a better atmosphere than that which existed in the previous ten months. Conte was very strict on nutrition, with relatively little choice for the players, and while Sarri also feels that there are gains in that area for any coach, his priority is to get the squad in the right frame of mind.”
