Antonio Conte proves he was the perfect fit for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich

From the moment Roman Abramovich interviewed Antonio Conte, the Chelsea owner knew he had found the right man to lead the club back among the elite and keep them there.

No coach can ever be assured of a lengthy reign at Chelsea — recent history proves that. Yet the bond the duo have forged since day one has got everyone within the confines of Stamford Bridge speaking with great excitement about the future.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that following Jose Mourinho’s sacking in December 2015, several candidates were considered to become the permanent replacement, including Diego Simeone and Massimiliano Allegri — and that was after Pep Guardiola had opted to join Manchester City.

But as Abramovich spoke at length with Conte on his yacht in Monaco nearly 15 months ago, the Russian multi-billionaire was quickly convinced that this was the individual to turn their fortunes around.

Conte didn’t ask for a mass overhaul of the squad that was on course to finish 10th in the Premier League, the lowest position in the Abramovich era. He merely stressed the point that with just a few additions and a lot of hard work, Chelsea would qualify for the Champions League again.

The 47-year-old has been proved right and then some. After winning the League with a record 30 Premier League wins, it is easy to suggest that the duo now enjoy a very good relationship. But the strength of their rapport was more importantly seen when things appeared to be going awry back in September.

Following successive league defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal, Abramovich did go to visit the Italian for talks at the training ground but it wasn’t because he was getting worried or was about to sack yet another coach. No alarm bells were ringing like they might have done under previous regimes.

It was during these talks that Conte revealed his intention to switch to three at the back and it had everyone’s support, from Abramovich to the players.

This was because Conte had already fulfilled his promise to Chelsea’s paymaster that he would bring discipline back to the ranks, and improve the way the players trained, played and ate.

Pre-match meals that involved chicken, scrambled egg and ketchup were out, and seeds, fruit and nuts were in.

He told his playing staff that their eating habits over the past few years meant they were going out on matchdays at least half a kilo heavier than needed to be and promised to make them lighter, fitter and quicker. Within weeks, the players felt the difference.

Conte had also begun building the family atmosphere that has made him such a popular figure. A pre-season barbecue was held for all the families of players and other members of staff and a close-knit unit was being forged. Significantly, as they all gathered once again to celebrate the title win at an intimate gathering on Sunday night, Conte addressed the room and quickly made a point of thanking all the partners of the players and staff for the sacrifices they had made. People present noticed how much it was appreciated and remarked on how receiving such recognition was a rarity.

Abramovich has a lot of other business interests that take up his time and is not always in the country.

But it is believed that the duo speak regularly and Abramovich is always willing to hear Conte’s views.

It was by no accident that when he flew into London to attend the FA Youth Cup Final last month, Conte sat alongside him. They were seen high-fiving each other warmly as the Under-18s cruised to their fourth triumph in the competition in a row.

While no date has been set, soon they will meet again to discuss a contract extension and recruitment plans.

Neither of them are getting carried away that Chelsea are about to dominate English football because there is an expectation that both Manchester clubs will spend heavily during the summer and will be much stronger. Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal are considered threats too.

Everyone at Chelsea is also aware that competing in Europe next season will make retaining the Premier League trophy a very tough task.

However, this was supposed to be a year of transition, where the last survivors of the trusted old guard like captain John Terry, Mikel John Obi and Branislav Ivanovic were phased out.

At the outset, Abramovich’s only demands were securing a top four finish, plus being seen to challenge for trophies as late in the campaign as possible. Come Saturday night, Conte may have added the FA Cup to the League crown in his debut season. Regardless of what happens against Arsenal at Wembley, they are way ahead of schedule.

So the feeling is one of great optimism and because of Conte, Abramovich’s ambitions of one day getting his hands on the Champions League for a second time are alive again.