Antonio Conte furious over reports linking Carlo Ancelotti with Chelsea

Antonio Conte’s belief that his position at Chelsea is being undermined boiled over when he angrily described reports about his future as “bullshit”.

Chelsea’s manager let rip when he was asked about stories linking Carlo Ancelotti with a return to Stamford Bridge, suggestions that he will not see out his contract and claims that players have complained to Steve Holland, the Italian’s former No2, about his training regime. Conte is under scrutiny after his side’s awkward start to the season, with the champions nine points off the top, and he said outside influences were trying to get him fired.

“There is a lot of bullshit,” Conte said. “If I see the past it happened the same with a lot of managers. A lot of bullshit. They try to create problems between me, the club and the players. If someone is happy to continue to write this, I answer very well in the past. I am answering very well about these different issues.”

A club spokesman interrupted to dismiss a report about Conte’s players texting Holland, who left Chelsea to become England’s assistant manager full time last year. Holland is said to be furious and has contacted Conte to clear the air. But Conte, who added that he often speaks to Ancelotti, had more to get off his chest after the official’s intervention.

“This is a lack of respect,” Conte said. “I can accept to write the club is ready to sack me and the story with the players. I can accept this but to put another person in this way, I think this is incorrect and it is not good that this person has to send me a message to tell me: ‘I am sorry but this is not true, I am sorry, if you want to do an interview, I am ready.’ Why put another person in this bullshit? If you want to hit me, hit me. This is incorrect and I hate this type of situation.”

Saturday’s visit to Bournemouth is the start of another testing spell for Chelsea, who play at Roma on Tuesday before hosting Manchester United on 5 November. Conte, who will be without the injured N’Golo Kanté and Victor Moses against Bournemouth, has regularly voiced doubts about whether his squad is big enough to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League after difficulties in the summer transfer window.

“Our priority is to overcome this period because we are facing it with a lot of problems,” he said. “I hope to have my players in good physical condition, all players, and then to face all competitions. I hope to do this very soon because Drinkwater is almost ready and Kanté is almost at the stage to come back with us. The only problem we have to face and we need more time is with Moses.”

Chelsea have conceded eight goals in four matches since Kanté sustained a hamstring injury on international duty. Conte hopes to have the midfielder back against Roma. His defence has struggled without Kanté’s protection.

“It is not simple for us to play without N’Golo because he is an important player for us,” he said. “Now the team is used to play without him but I hope to see him back very soon. There are players with the same characteristics but N’Golo is a really good player.”