Share

Cahill: Conte's brought spirit and discipline

Cape Town - Veteran defender Gary Cahill has hailed the renewed sense of excitement that new manager Antonio Conte has brought to Stamford Bridge.

The Italian coach took over as the Chelsea boss at the start of the 2016/17 campaign and is expected to mould the former Premier League champions into a side that will again challenge for the title.

Conte's famously passionate sideline behaviour was on display during the Blues' victory over West Ham on Monday. The 47-year-old exploded with emotion when Diego Costa scored the 89th minute winner and even shared his joy with a lucky section of the Chelsea home supporters.

It is this enthusiasm, amongst other things, which the defender says will inspire the side to be at their best this season.

"He's added spirit, he's added organisation and a lot of discipline," Cahill told the club's official website.

"Players know exactly what their role should be at each individual time they're on the pitch," he continued. "He wants to win. You can see how animated he is on the side of the pitch and he's like that when we're working.

"He wants to win, just like the rest of us."

Conte's pre-season regime also played a role in the Hammers win according to the central defender.

"He's added fitness, against West Ham I felt really sharp and really fit, it's one of the toughest pre-seasons I've done," Cahill added.

"It's not enjoyable when you're doing it but you reap the rewards and I felt really strong in the game."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1272 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
30% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2241 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE