Chelsea will be back under Antonio Conte

Chelsea midfielder Willian believes that the Blues will be challenging for the Premier League title under new boss Antonio Conte

Reigning Premier League champions Chelsea have endured a nightmare campaign, but one of the few bright spots from the forgettable campaign has been the form of Brazilian international midfielder Willian.

The Brazilian is keen for the campaign to end and he believes that the Blues will be back challenging for the title under new boss Antonio Conte next season.

Gunning for the title next season

Talking to Sky Sports, Willian said: “Last season we were champions and this season we have won nothing. This is difficult for us because now we do not have the motivation to play, to train, because we have nothing to win. We only play for our pride.

“When we started this season we wanted to win the title, to win the league again, to win everything. But we didn’t. I think now we know what we have to do next season.

“We want to finish this season quickly because we want to start the next one better, and next season win some titles.

“Next season will be difficult as well because the other teams will buy players. Other managers will come and it will be a difficult season for everybody.”

I am sure the Chelsea fans are with Willian on wanting the campaign to finish, as it has brought nothing but disappointed. The arrival of new boss Conte should bring a new lease of life to the team and they should be challenging for the title next season.

A demanding boss

Despite controversy surrounding Conte at times in his career, he has proven himself to be a very able boss. His time at Juventus was his best spell in management and earned him the job of Italian national team boss.

Conte will bring discipline and fresh ideas to a squad of players who look to have gone desperately stale this season. The Italian will make personnel changes to the playing staff and will get the best out of players.

Conte has managed big egos before and he is not fazed by reputations, just like in his playing days. The 46-year-old demands his players work hard and those that do not will not last at the club under the fiery Italian.

Willian is the sort of player that Conte will love, as he works hard, but has no little technical ability. One player who may not be the Italian’s cup of Chai is underachieving Belgian international Eden Hazard, who has endured a nightmare campaign.

He has the talent, but his application is not great. Conte will expect him to track-back and do the dirty work, something which he has struggled to do this season. His work-rate improved under Jose Mourinho last season, but he will have to up his game again under Conte or he will find himself leaving the club.

Conte is not scared of making the tough decisions and would probably not think twice about selling Hazard if he thought it would benefit the team as a whole.

Conte will have Chelsea challenging again

Antonio Conte had a very decent record of finding hidden gems and polishing them, for example Paul Pogba. The Chelsea squad at the moment is unlikely to look like the Chelsea squad that begins next season.

The current Chelsea squad needs major work to challenge for the Premier League once again next season. Manchester City will have Pep Guardiola, Manchester United could have Jose Mourinho and the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal will all hope to challenge again, not to mention potential champions Leicester.

The Premier League title race could be more competitive than ever next season, so Conte will have to get his summer decisions and preparations right. Most of his managerial decisions in his career point to the fact the Italian can work his magic at Chelsea.

Conte has been compared to Jose Mourinho and even former-Manchester United great Sir Alex Ferguson, but he is his own man and will have a big effect on the underachieving Chelsea squad.

It will be highly-surprising if the Blues are not once again challenging for the Premier League title next season, because the former-Juventus boss is just the sort of no-nonsense boss that Chelsea are in need of right now. If nothing else it will be interesting at Stamford Bridge next season.

Will Antonio Conte have Chelsea challenging for the title?