Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has warned the club’s youngsters that they must prove they’re good enough to contribute to his first-team if they are to get playing time for the senior side. The Blues take on Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup this evening, with Conte expected to rotate his side and include young players such as Kenedy and Charly Musonda.
However, Conte insists he won’t go lightly on inexperienced players if they are competing for first-team minutes, as he doesn’t believe age is an important factor in terms of affecting his team selection.
Chelsea have often been criticised for failing to trust their academy talent, but Conte insists his thinking is only about how his players, regardless of age, can help the team.
‘I think if you are good enough to play with a great team, you play,’ the Italian explained.
‘Every coach wants to win. I don’t care if one player is a young player or an old player. If a player, an old player, 36-years-old, makes me happy and helps me to win, I pick him. It’s the same if a player, a young player, 16-years-old, helps me to win, I’m ready to do this also.’
Conte also defended his record with Chelsea’s youth last season, following summer departures of the likes of Nathan Ake and Nathaniel Chalobah after failing to cement regular places in the side.
‘Last season, if you remember very well, Chalobah had the chance to play,’ he said.
‘Don’t forget last season we won the league. Don’t forget last season our midfielders were (Nemanja) Matic, (N’Golo) Kante and (Cesc) Fabregas. You have to consider all these components.
‘Chalobah, last season, was the fourth midfielder. He had the chance to play. That is normal.
‘If you ask to play regularly with a great club, then you must deserve to play. And to deserve to take Kante’s or Matic’s or Fabregas’ place. If you show you deserve to play and can be better than these players, I’m ready to do this.’
Source - Metro
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