Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton feels that the club’s decision to bring in Antonio Conte as the new boss is not a sensible one.
The Italian manager was appointed as the new man in charge at the Stamford Bridge on a three-year deal yesterday, and is scheduled to take over the reins once his stint with the Italy national side ends after Euro 2016 in France this year.
Conte, 46, will succeed Guus Hiddink, who took over from Jose Mourinho after the latter was sacked in December, following a terrible run of form that saw the defending champions slip to the 16th in the league table
But Sutton insists that the former Juventus coach, who has a reputation for being strict, is as disciplined a manager as Mourinho was.
And with rumours that the Blues’ players were dissatisfied with the working conditions under the Portuguese, the appointment of a similar man does not make any sense for Sutton.
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“If the players have downed tools before there is every suggestion that, with Conte being a similar type to Mourinho, they will down tools again”, the Englishman said on BBC Radio 5 live.
“If he comes in and starts hitting the players with a whip, are they going to respond?
"Bringing in a similar type of manager to Mourinho in Conte doesn't make any sense to me”, the 43-year-old insisted.
Chelsea are currently languishing in a lowly 10th in the table with no hope whatsoever of playing in the Champions League next season, and leading the side back to European action will be Conte’s top priority next season.
