CHELSEA manager Antonio Conte showed a touch of class in his press conference this afternoon.
Conte was set to speak ahead of Wednesday’s match against Swansea.
But before the media put their questions to the Italian he made a point of paying tribute to Dermot Drummy, the club’s academy boss who died this week aged 56.
Drummy won the 2010 FA Youth Cup and later served as reserve-team manager before taking the role of international head coach in June 2014.
After leaving the Blues he took over at Sky Bet League Two Crawley in April 2016, departing 13 months later.
Conte said: “Today we had bad news. Our former youth coach Dermot Drummy died. I want to pass on my condolences to his family and his friends.
“We are sorry, because this person was very important for this club.”
Chelsea‘s head of youth development Neil Bath this week led the tributes to Drummy.
Bath said on the club’s official website: “There are no words to convey the sense of shock and loss we all feel at this news.
“Dermot was a good friend to many of us here at the Academy, including myself. His love and passion for football were infectious, and we will all miss him greatly.”
League Managers Association chairman Howard Wilkinson said in a statement released on the trade union’s website: “Dermot was a highly valued and respected member of the football community.
“His abilities and achievements as a coach are embodied in some of the Premier League’s most talented young players of the past two decades. He has played a crucial and supportive role in the lives of so many young people and will be sorely missed by all at the LMA.”
Dermot Drummy took over at League Two Crawley in April 2016, departing 13 months later
“I am deeply saddened to hear of his passing and my thoughts are with Dermot’s family and friends at this sad time.”
Crawley tweeted their condolences on Monday evening but have now released a lengthy statement to express their sadness.
Director of football Selim Gaygusuz said in the release: “Dermot was a great coach to work with and a true gentleman with a clean heart. My thoughts are with his family.”
Reds skipper Jimmy Smith, speaking on behalf of the squad, said: “Dermot was not only a great coach but also a great man. Dermot worked hard for the players during his time as head coach.
“He wanted to provide us with the best possible set-up and pushed through the project last year to improve our changing facilities at the stadium.
“He changed the way we played too. The boys bought into it and we all had a lot of respect for him.”
Source:www.express.co.uk