Month: April 2016

Chelsea captain John Terry paid for the funeral of an eight-year-old fan of the club who died from leukaemia recently, it has been revealed.

Tommi Miller passed away recently, having been diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of three. A bone marrow transplant was attempted last month but it was unsuccessful. A friend of Tommi’s family then contacted the former England captain on the social networking website Instagram to let let him know of the young fans’ passing and to ask if he would like to contribute to the funeral costs.

Terry replied to the message, saying, “Hi. We have made contact with the funeral director today and I will be contacting them personally tomorrow to make the payment for the burial and the cars and flowers for the family. It’s such a sad story. If you speak to the family please pass on my condolences. John”.

Ruth Miller, Tommi’s mother, said that the family were ‘very proud’ that Terry remembered their son after a recent visit to Stamford Bridge. She said, “When we visited the stadium you could tell John Terry was really taken by him and his cheekiness but it was still a shock when we heard. Tommi obviously made a big impression on him and he was one of his favourite players so it’s very special to us”.

She went on to say that she was ‘overwhelmed’ by the gesture and that the plan is to use the money to buy a ‘special headstone’ for Tommi’s grave. The Miller family live in Thorpe Way in Cambridgeshire and Terry told the Cambridge News that he was ‘totally devastated’ to hear of the youngster’s death.

The Chelsea captain, whose contract expires in the summer meaning he is likely to leave the club, called the funeral director to pay the £1600 that the service was going to cost. He said, “I’m sure [Tommi’s] family and friends will give him the send off he deserves”, adding that it was a ‘pleasure’ to meet him.

Tommi’s funeral will take place this Thursday and those attending have been asked to wear shirts from either Chelsea or Cambridge United football clubs.




Former Chelsea player Gianfranco Zola reckons that the incoming head coach as his old club, Antonio Conte, is one of the top managers in the game and is every bit as good as former Blues boss Jose Mourinho and the Manchester City manager-in-waiting Pep Guardiola.

46-year-old Conte is due to become Chelsea’s next permanent manager after he has led Italy to the 2016 European Championships in France this summer. The Blues have been looking for a new long-term manager since sacking self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ Mourinho last December, with Dutchman Guus Hiddink taking up the role on an interim basis since then.

Conte won the Serie A title with Juventus every season for the three years he was their manager between 2011 and 2014. That led Zola to tell the BBC World Service, “He’s done so well in Italy that he has to be considered the same level as Guardiola and Mourinho. He has not won as much internationally but he is a good coach with a strong personality. I’m sure he will bring a lot to Chelsea”.

The praise of his countryman from Zola comes after another former Chelsea striker, Chris Sutton, suggested that it was a poor appointment by the West London club. Sutton feels that Conte is too similar to Jose Mourinho, but Zola isn’t convinced that’s necessarily a bad thing. He said, “Antonio as a coach is very disciplined, he demands a lot from the side no matter who you are and also tactically he works a lot”.

In fact, the major stumbling block that Zola can foresee is nothing to do with the manager, but rather the fact that the Blues won’t be able to offer Champions League football next season. The reason that the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich, took the decision to sack Mourinho for the second time since he bought the club was that they had endured their worst start to a league campaign since the 1960s. It was such a poor start that the defending Premier League champions were languishing in 16th when Hiddink took over.

Despite the fact that the Blues have only lost one league game since Hiddink came in they will still be quite fortunate to finish in the top ten this year. Having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Everton and the Champions League by PSG, Zola thinks player recruitment could be an issue. He said, “There might be a problem bringing big players because playing in the Champions League is a big issue, but that actually could be an advantage because there won’t be as much pressure on him. He will do well with Chelsea, I am sure”.

With other big teams such as Liverpool and Manchester United almost certainly destined to miss out on the Champions League too, with less fashionable teams such as Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City likely to take their place, the lack of European football might not be the problem it would have been in previous years.

Antonio Conte’s lawyer has revealed that an Italian prosecutor wants the incoming Chelsea boss to get a six-month suspended prison sentence as well as a fine for his alleged role in match-fixing.

Conte denies any wrongdoing but is being accused of ‘sporting fraud’ by prosecutors from the city of Cremona. It all stems from 2011 when Conte was the manager in charge of Serie B side Siena. The 46-year-old has already served a ban that was imposed on him by the soccer federation in relation to the 2011 case.

The former Juventus player and manager is due to take over as Chelsea’s new head coach after he has managed the Italian national side in the 2016 European Championship tournament in France this summer. A spokesman for the London club has said that they will not comment on an ongoing investigation.</p.

Italian prosecutor Roberto Di Martino requested the suspended sentence and an €8000 fine during a behind-closed-doors hearing on Tuesday in the Italian city of Cremona. He has cited a match between Conte’s Siena and Albino Leffe, claiming that Conte definitely knew of match-fixing efforts but said nothing to the authorities.

The defending Premier League champions have been looking for a new manager since the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich, decided to sack the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ Jose Mourinho for the second time in his career last December. Guus Hiddink has been in charge on a temporary basis since then and the Blues have been undefeated in the league since his appointment.

The club could do without any controversy around their newest appointment. Leonardo Cammarata, Conte’s lawyer, confirmed that the defence will make a final statement in court on the 11th of April with the verdict in the trial due in the middle of May.

Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton believes that the club’s appointment of current Italy national coach Antonio Conte ‘does not make any sense’.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live Sutton said, “If the players have downed tools before there is every suggestion that, with Conte being a similar type to Mourinho, they will down tools again. If he comes in and starts hitting the players with a whip, are they going to respond?”

The 46-year-old former Juventus player and manager has been confirmed as Chelsea’s next head coach, with the Italian due to take over at Stamford Bridge after this summer’s European Championships in France. Sutton, though, isn’t convinced it’s the right decision, saying, “Bringing in a similar type of manager to Mourinho in Conte doesn’t make any sense to me”.

Chelsea have been looking for a new permanent manager since the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich, decided to sack Jose Mourinho last December. The Portuguese manager was in the third year of his second spell at the club, having led the Blues to the title in the 2014-2015 season. The 2015-2016 campaign started appallingly, though, with the defending Premier League champions enduring their worst start to a top-flight season since the 1960s.

Abramovich appointed Guus Hiddink as an interim manager for the second time during his ownership of the West London club, with the Dutchman’s first spell coming after Brazilian Luis Felipe Scolari was sacked in February of 2009. Conte will be the twelfth manager of the Abramovich era, though Ray Wilkins and Steve Holland were both in charge for just one game.

Two former Chelsea players disagree with Sutton’s analysis of the appointment of Conte. Andy Townsend, who played for both Chelsea and the Republic of Ireland in midfield, said, “I don’t think Conte will be far removed from what Jose was like at his very best. Jose captured the attention of the players when he arrived. There was an intensity about what he did, the players responded and enjoyed working under that sort of regime. I feel Conte will do the same”.

Ex-Scotland and Blues midfielder Pat Nevin agreed with Townsend. He said, “People think of him as a one-system manager. He’s not. He’s always been very adaptable”.

For Sutton, however, the appointment of Guus Hiddink on a more permanent basis would have made more sense. The 69-year-old has not lost a Premier League game since taking over from the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’, taking them from 16th in the table to 10th. Sutton feels he would have been a ‘good option’, and said, “It is working under him – the team have improved beyond all recognition”.

One of the most pressing concerns that Conte will want to address is the future of John Terry. The former England captain’s contract expires this summer and as things currently stand there is no sign of the club looking to extend it. Both Sutton and Townsend believe that extending Terry’s contract makes sense, especially as Chelsea won’t have Champions League football to offer potential signings next season.

Sutton, who was signed by Chelsea for £10 million in 1999, said, “If you want to play Champions League football you go to best teams. Chelsea are going to find signing top players tough…They have got to keep John Terry at the club in some capacity. I think Conte will keep him purely on his playing ability”.

This sentiment was echoed by Townsend who said, “If Conte turns up and wants to play three centre-backs, then I don’t see why John couldn’t play for another 12 months in that system”.

Interestingly the bookmakers believe that Conte is more likely to be sacked before the end of next season than to win the Premier League. Roman Abramovich has a history of sacking managers if they don’t immediately produce good performances, often removing them from their position even if they have won trophies. The Blues had an incredible eight different managers during the six years years between the sacking of Jose Mourinho after his first spell in charge and he re-hiring in 2013.

Chelsea Football club have confirmed that the current Italy boss, Antonio Conte, will become their new manager in the summer.

The former Juventus manager has agreed a three-year contract with the West London club and will take up his post after Italy’s involvement in the 2016 European Championship in France this summer. He said, “I am proud to be the coach of the national team of my country and only a role as attractive as manager of Chelsea could follow that”.

The Blues have been searching for a new permanent manager after the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich, decided to sack Jose Mourinho last December. The self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ won the title with the club during his second spell in charge but led the defending Premier League champions to their worst start to a league campaign since the 1960s.

Abramovich asked Guus Hiddink to replace the Portuguese boss on an interim basis, much as he did after sacking Luis Felipe Scolari back in 2009. Then the Dutchman won the FA Cup with the Blues but there has been no such success this time around. Hiddink will remain in charge of the club until the end of the season.

Conte will become the fifth Italian to manage the London club and is arguably the most successful after Carlo Ancelotti. He won the Serie A title every year of his three years at the Italian club. Gianluca Vialli won the League Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the FA Cup during his spell in charge of Chelsea, whilst Ancelotti won a Premier League and FA Cup double. Roberto Di Matteo, meanwhile, won Abramovich his ultimate prize when he oversaw the Blues’ 2012 Champion’s League win. Claudio Ranieri is the only Italian manager the club have had so far who did not win anything with them, though he is on course to win the Premier League with Leicester City this season.

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said, “We are very pleased to have recruited one of the most highly regarded managers in world football. We are equally pleased to do so before the end of the current season. This aids our future planning”.

Conte will be tasked with rebuilding a team that won the Premier League at a canter last season before completely imploding at the start of this campaign. Chelsea will not boast Champion’s League football next season and, sitting in 10th with just seven games still to play, are unlikely to qualify for Europa League football either.

The current Italy boss was also a talented midfielder, playing for his country and making over 400 appearances for Juventus, winning the Champions League and five Serie A titles as a player. He was part of the Italy team that lost to France in the 2000 European Championships final.

His previous managerial career includes spells at Arezzo, Bari, Atlanta and Siena. Having starred for Juventus as a player he returned to the club as manager in 2011 and won the title at the first time of asking, with his side going the entire season without losing a game.

His career has not been without controversy, however. The Italian was banned for ten months after failing to report attempted match-fixing when he was the coach of Siena. He pleaded innocence but was found guilty regardless, though his suspension was later reduced from ten months to a four-month touchline ban.

The 46-year-old manager has been linked with the Chelsea job for some time, admitting that he misses the day-to-day work of club management. The Italian national team President, Carlo Tavecchio, thanked Conte for his ‘commitment and sacrifice’ during his Azzurri tenure but also admitted that he ‘misses the smell of the grass’.

Ian Britton, a midfielder who played for Chelsea and Burnley during his football career, has passed away at the age of 61.

Britton played for the London club 289 times and scored 34 goals during a 10-year stretch at Stamford Bridge that spanned from 1972 until 1982. He went on to play for Dundee United and Arbroath briefly spending three years at Blackpool. He then moved to Division Four and plied his trade with struggling Burnley.

His time with Burnley was a somewhat successful one, helping to save the club from relegation when he scored the winning goal against Leyton Orient, stopping the Lancashire side from slipping into the Football Conference. 1987 was the first season when teams could be promoted from the Conference into Division Four, meaning that the goal saved Burnley from becoming the first ever club to get relegated out of the Football League.

His spell at Chelsea also had some good moments, with a highlight being his appearance in a Blues side that beat the reigning European champions Liverpool by four goals to two in an FA Cup third round tie in 1978.