Antonio Conte: It's only a matter of time before an English coach manages a top Premier League club

Antonio Conte feels it is only a matter of time before an English coach is in charge of a top club.

Six of the 20 managers in the Premier League are English, including Sam Allardyce at Crystal Palace.

Allardyce has consistently moaned about the lack of opportunities given to home-grown managers.

The top seven clubs all have a foreigner in charge, with Bournemouth's Eddie Howe the highest placed Englishman in 11th place.

Conte, whose Chelsea side take on Allardyce's Crystal Palace outfit on Saturday afternoon, is confident the anomaly will soon be put right.

He said: “Yes (I am surprised about this) because there are really good English coaches. It's not right.

"When you are a great club, they try to take the best decision. But I think, in the future, it will be possible to come back and have English managers in the top clubs because there are really good English coaches in this League. I'm learning about them.”

Conte, who won three Serie A titles as Juventus coach and was also in charge of Italy for two years, is in his first season at Chelsea.

But the 46-year-old insists he has benefitted from having to compete against sides with English managers.

He added: "I think that after this season, from my experience and playing in this League against teams with English coaches, it was very good for me. I'm learning a lot this season.

"When we play against English teams with coaches who are English, I'm finding new solutions to face this type of game, against these coaches.

"I have great respect for English coaches. For me, it is very important. I feel more complete.”