I saw a video courtesy The Sun Bets entitled “Chasing Chelsea like…” As in the English Premier League competition itself the video showed Chelsea Football Club manager Antonio Conte being chased on foot by four top English Premier League managers, namely, Manchester United’s José Mourinho, Arsenal’s Arsène Wenger, Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, and Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino.
And the next scene Conte was on a skateboard and holding a moving truck from behind with the chasing quartet now in a convertible car with Mourinho at the wheel and Wenger with him in front and the rest behind. They gave chase, and snarled at Conte in desperation while Conte returned to them a smug look.
And suddenly Mourinho was about to crush Conte with the car, but somehow he swiveled to now face them grabbing the car bonnet and he with them continued on dangerously along the road.
Guardiola from behind the duo in front of him threw an object at Conte and missed; Wenger in front swung his right hand at him and missed too, while Conte laughed mockingly.
All of a sudden Conte climbed the car bonnet and walked right through the four and on the boot and landed safely behind right back on his skateboard, and grinning from ear to ear.
And the quartet looked behind them in awe and in frustration not seeing a truck laden with dung in front of them.
As they swerved to avoid it the right side of the car hit the truck all the same and its content poured and buried them.
The 2016/17 English Premier League season has now ended with Chelsea, of course, winning the coveted trophy, the 6th in their history. But as the video I narrated showed it did not come easy for Chelsea.
You might have all the qualities; the wherewithal to achieve success but if there is no peace and harmony you may not succeed.
You might have good leadership quality, but if those you are leading have lost faith in you they will not cooperate with you to succeed.
Chelsea remembered what they had in them. Made the tough choice of sacking their most successful manager who was no longer getting it right and took a risk in another manager in Conte, and as they say, the rest is history.
The Chelsea lessons speak to Nigeria, if you know what I mean.
Cosmas Odoemena,
Lagos.
