Conte not interested in national team management, is only interested in Chelsea

More good quotes from the non-broadcast portion of Antonio Conte’s pre-match press conference on Friday, as the boss addressed the latest rumors emanating from Italy about the national team trying to convince him to return, with new sub-commissioner Alessandro Costacurta supposedly on his way to London to speak to Conte in person.

“Every speculation that arrives in England, I don’t know where it arrived from. In Italy, I think the speculation today is that Costacurta wants to come here and speak about the national team. But, as you know very well, until yesterday Costacurta was a pundit. Not a person who understands the rules.

”Maybe he forgot I have a contract with Chelsea so it’s not possible to speak with me or [Zenit Saint Petersburg coach Roberto] Mancini. Maybe with [former Bayern Munich boss] Ancelotti. Maybe.”

In addition to Conte dismissing any and all speculation in no uncertain terms — “I don’t have interest about this speculation or rumours” — he saw fit to also remind everyone just why he chose to return to club management in the first place 18 months ago.

“If you remember... I took the decision to come back to club [management] before starting the European Championship with Italy, because I felt the necessity to work every day with the players.

”Now I’m not looking so far forward. Now I’m very focused on the present. The present for me is Chelsea. I’m very happy with this. I took this choice and I want to respect this choice. Also because, I repeat, I’m sure we are doing an incredible work here.”

-Antonio Conte; source: FourFourTwo

So say we all.