Antonio Conte has declined to show Gary Cahill and Álvaro Morata a great deal of sympathy after they were omitted from their respective international squads, with the Chelsea manager making clear the only way for them to prove they deserve to go to the World Cup is by working hard for their club.
Cahill has been left out of the England squad to face the Netherlands and Italy having not played in Chelsea’s recent Premier League matches with Manchester United and Manchester City, or in the Champions League tie against Barcelona. Morata has not been picked by Julen Lopetegui for Spain’s friendlies against Germany and Argentina, having struggled since arriving from Real Madrid in July and failing to score this year.
“This is a question for the coach of the national teams, not for me,” Conte said when asked whether Cahill’s and Morata’s omissions placed doubt over their involvement in the World Cup this summer. “My only worry is to have the players in best form for Chelsea.”
“Because of my past [as Italy head coach] it is difficult for me to speak about the decision of a manager of the national team. Maybe, the manager wants to try new solutions. There are a lot of thoughts in the mind of a coach.”
Conte described Cahill as a player with “great quality” and backed Morata to end his drought when Chelsea play Leicester in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday but there followed blunt words from the manager regarding the duo’s prospects of catching Gareth Southgate’s and Lopetegui’s respective eyes before the finals.
“There is only one way: to work hard and show you deserve to play,” Conte said. “Not to complain.”
Having exited the Champions League in midweek, Conte is ready to put a greater emphasis on the FA Cup given it is the only trophy the champions can realistically win. “We want to fight [for it],” said Conte, who looks set to play his strongest possible team at the King Power Stadium. “It won’t be easy but we want to do our best.”
