History Shows Antonio Conte Can’t Ignore an English Spine as He Rebuilds Chelsea

There was a time when Chelsea’s English contingent helped stock the national team with world-class talent.

For the best part of a decade, England’s so-called Golden Generation came complete with Frank Lampard, John Terry and the Coles, Joe and Ashley.

Vital for their country, they were equally so for Chelsea. Those four players were essential to what the Blues achieved between 2004 and 2010. In the absence of Joe Cole, the trio that remained were the big characters in Chelsea winning the 2012 Champions League.

It’s all changed now, though. Gareth Southgate’s England squad has just Gary Cahill included from Chelsea—also a Champions League winner four years ago—with Terry no longer available to represent his country.

It’s not because Chelsea’s Englishmen aren’t good enough, it’s a simple factor of numbers. These days, the club don’t have any others ready for the senior England team.

That a club of Chelsea’s size are so low on indigenous talent is a serious concern for the Three Lions. It’s an example of how the team’s power at the very top has been gradually diluted, which doesn’t help breed confidence in where they are headed in the near future.

That lack of quality is what will haunt England for a long time yet, regardless of how Premier League teams perform on the continent in the Champions League and Europa League.

Sure, it’s not Chelsea’s problem, nor is it Antonio Conte’s. The club and their new manager have their own issues to worry about, like how to go about regenerating a squad that remains stale and needs to take a new direction.

I wonder when the last time Chelsea started with four Englishmen was.. 🤔 #CFC

— Dan Lloyd (@DanLloyd21) July 28, 2016

What the national team do doesn’t impact Chelsea, which will equally be the thought of many fans.

However, it almost certainly does.

Chelsea were never stronger in English football than when they were supplying the national team with some of their best players. And it wasn’t just about talent, either; what that quartet offered went well beyond a football pitch. They gave the club an identity and helped piece everything together.

Jose Mourinho spotted that fact in his first …

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