Chelsea's Diego Costa was right to go public with Antonio Conte's 'cowardly' text - Stan Collymore

Future | Diego Costa claims Antonio Conte sent him a text saying he no longer forms part of his plans
AFP/Getty Images
Vaishali Bhardwaj13 June 2017

Stan Collymore believes Diego Costa was "absolutely right" to go public with the text he says Antonio Conte sent him about his future - labelling the Chelsea manager's apparent method of contacting the Spain international as "cowardice of the highest order".

Costa dropped a bombshell following Spain's 2-2 draw with Colombia last week when he told reporters that Conte had messaged him to tell him he does not figure in the Chelsea manager's plans for next season.

Speaking in the mixed zone, the 28-year-old said: "I'm a Chelsea player, but they do not want me there. Antonio Conte has told me by message that I do not follow at Chelsea and that's it. Conte said he did not count on me for next season.

"It's a shame, I've already forwarded the message to the Chelsea people to decide. But it is clear that the coach does not count on me and does not want me there. I'll have to find a team."

He then added to Cadena Ser following Spain's World Cup qualifying win over Macedonia on Sunday: "There are ways to do and say things... thank God that I’m not without a team."

Collymore backs Costa and his decision to make Conte's text public, and insisted the Chelsea manager should have spoken to the striker in person about whether he wants to keep him at Stamford Bridge next term.

"It's not often that I find myself agreeing with Diego Costa - but he was absolutely right to make public the fact that Antonio Conte sent him a text telling him he was no longer in his plans," Collymore wrote in his column in The Mirror.

Diego Costa's Chelsea controversies

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"This is the striker, remember, who had just helped Chelsea win the Premier League for a second time in three years.

"When you have spent three hours a day on the training ground with someone for a whole season, selected him on so many occasions, and patted him on the back when he has done the busness for you, then surely you owe him a phone call at the very least.

"Costa showed often last season that he can be a handful - but what Conte showed was cowardice of the highest order."

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