Olivier Giroud Admits He Would Be Sad to See Antonio Conte Leave Chelsea as Exit Rumours Swirl
Chelsea's Olivier Giroud has said he would be saddened to see manager Antonio Conte leave the London club this summer, amid uncertainty over the Italian's future.
"It will be sad if the manager will leave," Giroud told Sky Sports News. The French striker joined the Blues in January from Arsenal on an 18-month contract, and has netted five goals this season since arriving at Stamford Bridge.
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Chelsea have had a disappointing season in the league, missing out on Champions League football, but ended the season on a high - securing the FA Cup with a 1-0 win over Manchester United. Giroud boasts an impressive record in the competition, having now lifted four FA Cup trophies in his last five seasons.
He added: "We need to move on - I have got a World Cup and then I will think about next year. I want to win some more trophies with Chelsea."
Teammate Cesar Azpilicueta - another of the Chelsea players set to feature at this year's World Cup in Russia - said the players had remained focused on the FA Cup game amid doubts at managerial level.
"There are always rumours - our focus was only on the game," said Azpilicueta.
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, however, said after the match the managerial uncertainty had caused a negative impact on the team this season and called for a quick resolution to the issue.
He said after the game: "We felt it inside Cobham where we train. There was always kind of a negative spirit sometimes and it’s hard to sometimes raise above ourselves."
