Antonio Conte changed my style of play, says Daniele De Rossi

Posted Tuesday, July 17, 2018 by squawka.com

Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi has enthusiastically supported Antonio Conte after he was sacked from his role as Chelsea manager.

After many reports on his impending departure from Stamford Bridge, it was a matter of when rather than if, Conte was to leave the west London club.

Last Friday, it was finally announced that Conte had been relinquished of his role as Chelsea manager, with former Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri stepping in after being heavily linked with the job.

Before his Chelsea tenure, Conte was in charge of the Italian national side who reached the quarter-final of Euro 2016.

Italian international De Rossi has now come out in support of Conte, claiming that he owes his status in football to the former Juventus coach.

Speaking to reporters, De Rossi spoke in detail about how Conte approaches and improves his players.

"Several moments have changed me, first of all the one with Antonio Conte," he told Roma TV (via Football Italia).

"He tells you things to the face and is attentive to preparation. I started working differently with him.

"At 34, he didn't say that you should run less than the others. LeBron James, in another sport at the same age as me, is doing better things now than when he was younger."

De Rossi went on to speak about Roma's pre season preparations for the forthcoming campaign, believing his side's training camp has been running smoothly, while further elaborating on the difference between Conte and current coach Eusebio Di Francesco's management styles.

He continued: "The situation compared to last season has improved, even though we achieved something last year.

Antonio Conte changed my style of play, says Daniele De Rossi

"This season we're repeating the things we already did and it's good for the new faces.

"We've started preseason with the bulk of the squad. For us, being here [at Trigoria] is a miracle. We don't need to go up north.

"The physio has his equipment here, we have our rooms [to stay in]. Traveling to America is fascinating, but Trigoria has become truly beautiful.

"He's changed the way we play, from one of possession to going forward more. At the start with Conte, I was a bit confused because we never held on to the ball.

"From there, it's up to the quality of the player to understand when it's necessary to go forward and when to hold on to the ball."

De Rossi further spoke about his admiration for new signing Javier Pastore, who recently completed a move from French giants PSG.

He added: "I liked him as a young lad. I'm friends with Sirigu and Verratti, and they always talked about him as someone serene, that it's nice to share the dressing room with him.

"Still, he'll need time to readjust to the pace of the Italian League. He's trying to do that now."

Roma finished third in Serie A last season, 18 points behind winners Juventus, but the Giallorossi did reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, beating Barcelona on the way before losing to Liverpool 7-6 on aggregate.