IT HAS been a difficult season for Antonio Conte and one suspects, with the run of matches coming up that they have, Chelsea supporters will have to endure a little more pain before things start to improve.

The Chelsea manager was thought to be close to his way out of Stamford Bridge after a torrid January which followed a period of discontent after Conte’s plea for new players falling on deaf ears. 

Conte, however, refused any questions about his future before tonight’s FA Cup fifth round match against Hull City. It is expected that the former Italy boss will leave in the summer.

Chelsea are currently fourth in the Premier League heading into the televised clash. Beyond Hull stands a Champions League showdown with Barcelona before back-to-back league matches against both Manchester clubs.

The Italian manager, however, was in a positive mood and even managed a wry smile when an Italian journalist attempted to gift the Chelsea boss a Manchester United jersey signed by Jose Mourinho in a bizarre moment at the press conference that left many confused.

“We have in front of us two weeks that are very tough. For this reason it is right to have a programme and a plan to face these two weeks in the right way, but, as you know, we want to try to go through to the next round of the FA Cup,” said Conte, who won the Premier League in his first season at Chelsea.

He insisted that the club’s supporters would be needed to help the players through. He added: “I appreciate it a lot. My task and the players is to give everything for this club. If our fans see this, they continue to push us.”

In their most recent match against West Brom, it was a far more polished performance from Conte’s men, with new signing Olivier Giroud, in particular, impressing in his first start for the club as they ended a two-match losing streak with a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Much of the ill-feeling between Conte and the board has been his perceived lack of support in the transfer market.

Conte confirmed that he would give at least two youngsters, Calum Hudson-Odoi and Ethan Ampadu, a chance to shine tonight as they look to end the season with a piece of silverware.

He added: “In the League Cup and also FA Cup, I gave them the chance to play. We are talking about two of the best players from our academy. We are talking about Ampadu, it is not difficult to predict a brilliant future, same for Hudson-Odoi”