Chelsea boss Antonio Conte reveals how Gary Cahill and Alvaro Morata get back in his plans
GARY CAHILL and Alvaro Morata have been told to man up and not bother moaning about their disappearing World Cup dreams after Antonio Conte claimed he is not to blame for their international set-backs.
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Twenty-four hours after former England captain Cahill was left out of Gareth Southgate’s 27-man squad for the double header against Holland and Italy later this month, Morata learned he had been replaced in the Spain squad – by former Chelsea striker Diego Costa.
Southgate has always insisted priority will be given for those players commanding regular first-team places and Cahill has been left out of four of the last five Chelsea matches.Morata has started just one game in the last two months.
But despite having experienced international management himself with Italy, Conte has little sympathy for their predicaments despite the World Cup starting in just three months’ time.
“Hard time, hard time?” he said. “I don’t understand it is a ‘hard time’. There is only one way: to work hard and to show that you deserve to play.
"I don’t see another way. Not to complain. You have to go straight. I can help them to improve if they work very hard to show they deserve to go.
There is only one way to work hard and to show that you deserve to play
Antonio Conte
“I repeat: it is important for us to look at our problem, but I don’t think it is the right time for me to be looking at the problems of the national team.”
Conte’s main focus is on Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final at Leicester City but he did hint that Southgate had had talks with Cahill before announcing his squad.
“There was a chat between the player and the manager,” he said. “Usually before making this decision you want to have a chat with the player to explain the reasons.
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Gary Cahill has been left out of the latest England squad
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"Then there are two months for every player to show they deserve to go and play in the World Cup.
“But usually with the national team, you can call also players that are not playing with regularity. When I was coach of national team it happened, because I trusted in the players.
"It can happen when a player stays in a great team, and there is a lot of competition and you can stay on the bench.”