Friday 27 October 2017 16:13, UK
Antonio Conte has rubbished newspaper reports claiming a number of Chelsea players had made contact with former assistant manager Steve Holland telling him they miss him and were unhappy with the club's current training methods.
Speaking at Friday's pre-match press conference, the Chelsea head coach described the alleged newspaper reports as "b*******" and laid into the media saying their reports "lacked respect".
There have also been newspaper stories claiming Carlo Ancelotti could be on his way back to the club as a replacement for his fellow Italian.
Holland spent six years at Chelsea, before taking a full-time position with England's national team in the summer of 2017.
Regarding the reports involving Holland, Conte said: "A lot of b*******. It's creating problems between me and the club, me and the players.
"But if someone is happy to write this… It's a lack of respect.
"I can accept that they write the club is ready to sack me, and accept stories with the players, but to use another person in this way is not correct.
"And then this person has to send me a message and say 'it's not true'. Why put another person in this position. I hate this sort of situation."
Chelsea's head of communications Steve Atkins told the same gathering: "These stories are absolute nonsense.
"One story earlier in the week said Steve Holland had been contacted by players at Chelsea. Absolute nonsense.
"If the media organisation had bothered to check with Steve, then he would have told them no player had contacted him."
Reigning champions Chelsea have made an inconsistent start to the current campaign and presently stand nine points adrift of early pacesetters Manchester City after nine games.
The Blues travel to Bournemouth on Saturday, and Conte believes they are a better side than their current league position suggests - inside the relegation zone.
He said: "Bournemouth are a good team. Their position is not right in the table. They played a lot of games but were unlucky.
"We must have a great respect for them."
