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Cape Town - Chelsea forward Eden Hazard took a swipe at manager Jose Mourinho as he reflected on an ugly season under the now Manchester United manager last year.
The Blues finished a disappointing 10th last term resulting in Mourinho losing his job as a number of players came under-fire for below-par performances.
Hazard was a mere shadow of the player that had been named Premier League Player of the Season the previous campaign as the Stamford Bridge outfit stormed to the title just a year earlier.
Having rediscovered some of that form in the opening weeks of the new season, with Chelsea picking up maximum points from their first three games, the Belgium international has hit out at his former boss.
Antonio Conte has swaggered into Stamford Bridge determined to shake up a squad that went stale during their woeful Premier League title defence - even if it means he loses his voice in the process.
Hazard said: "Conte puts trust in his players. Now we are good after an ugly season last year. I've always been the same player. But Conte knows how to treat players having played at the highest level himself."
While Conte played for some of the biggest teams in the world, Mourinho enjoyed a less than successful playing career before turning to management.
Gary Cahill also voiced his opinion on the improvements under new boss Conte this season.
The English defender said: "We needed organisation. We went from winning the league to the disaster of last season. We lost our way tactically, everyone's head was in different directions.
"Everyone had different situations going on, whether you're playing or not, the manager, or this or that. Different distractions are never healthy. It is the hardest thing when everyone is not on the same wavelength.
"People talk as if you wake up one day and suddenly you're a bog standard player. It doesn't happen."
