Carlo Ancelotti on Antonio Conte: "His Players Will Follow Him Anywhere"

​Former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has spoken glowingly about incoming Stamford Bridge boss and fellow countryman Antonio Conte, explaining that he was an obvious coach even when still playing and praising the way he gets his players to follow him unconditionally.

Early in his managerial career, Ancelotti first encountered Conte at Juventus 17 years ago when the current Italy coach was club captain for the Bianconeri.

Recalling that time in a column for the Daily Telegraph, Ancelotti said, "When I arrived at Juventus as the manager in 1999, Antonio Conte was the captain of the club, an Italy international and a player who had a lot of influence in the dressing room - and when I needed a leader in the team he was the obvious choice."

Ancelotti, whose time at Juve who ultimately deemed a failure, also recalled a time when Conte got injured and was unable to play. But being temporarily sidelined did not dampen his appetite to remain involved with the team.

"All the time he was watching and learning. I knew that he was going to be a coach one day," Ancelotti revealed.

"He was a tough guy, a man who always put the team first and expected others to do the same and that is what I recognised when I watched that Italy team beat Belgium 2-0 on Monday night in Lyon.

"He would have told them to trust in the strategy that he had prepared. That is what a good manager does - you study and think and discuss and you come up with a model of playing.

"He came up with a plan and the plan worked, and now his players will follow him anywhere."

For Ancelotti, there were will be more of the same from Conte when he finally arrives in west London next month after the conclusion of his duties with the national team.

"There are certain things that he will not compromise on, and it will be the same when he comes to Chelsea," the three-time Champions League winner explained.

"He wants all his players to follow him, and he wants a good team spirit. He is not afraid to tell the media what he thinks of their opinions either. In Conte's philosophy, you are either with the team or you're against them. There is no middle ground."