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What's the story?
Oh, Antonio Conte! Despite doing almost everything right in his first season in charge, and guiding a club from 10th to 1st with almost the same set of players, he still doesn't seem to getting the respect he believes he has earned.
Homesick, furious with the way his club have managed the transfer window, upset that he is still only 'head coach' - the club making it painfully obvious that his job is merely to 'coach' the team - Conte is on the brink of departure from Chelsea FC if reports emanating from London are to be believed.
The Daily Star have, in fact, gone one step forward and have provided us with the information that not only are Chelsea and Conte ready to part ways, they already have a backup plan in place if/when the inevitable occurs.
What is the said backup plan?
Signing on Maurizio Sarri, manager of SSC Napoli - arguably the most exciting football team on the planet.
In case you didn't know...
Sarri, a banker who turned to coaching at the ripe old age of 40 - and became head coach of Napoli the hard way, coaching his way up the lower reaches of the Italian, coaching a quite incredible 17 teams before taking the helm of the Naples club.
His dedication attacking football - Napoli scored 94 goals last season in the Serie A and already have 26 in 9 this time around - and smooth passing football have endeared him to the fans and have already made him a cult figure at the San Paolo.
The heart of the matter
While Chelsea may not want Conte to leave - who would willingly part services with such a high-quality coach if he continues to deliver? - but the Italian may take that decision away from them.
And while Sarri is as deeply attached to Napoli as anyone, his contract release is a "mere" £6.75 million, and Chelsea believe that a £11 million-a-year salary offer could well shift his head.
Video:
Just how good are Sarri's Napoli?
Sit back, and watch these two clips...
Author's Take
Chelsea really ought to put more faith in Antonio Conte - he has shown that he is more than capable of making the Blues a proper European force-to-reckon-with - and speaking as a mere football enthusiast, Sarri should stick to his Napoli project... just so that we may enjoy the delightful 'little guys' finally depose Juventus atop the Serie A pile
