Friday 18 August 2017 23:30, UK
Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte is warning that time and patience are required to build sustainable foundations.
Conte won the Premier League title and reached the FA Cup final in his first season in charge but he thinks that masks the fact there are underlying issues which must be resolved for long-term success at the club.
"No-one put a gun (to) my head and (said): 'You win or you go away'," Conte said. "The only thing I can promise is work, work, work and that I will try to do my best to improve the club.
"Sometimes you can win but you are not building something positive for your future. Sometimes you don't win but you are preparing yourself to be better.
"We have to build a solid foundation, and in this moment we don't have this solid foundation. Last season we started to build this foundation and we won so it means we built something.
"But now it's not enough, so we have to improve, to extend this basis, work together with new players."
It has been a difficult summer for Conte despite winning the title and signing an improved contract, although not an extension to the deal which has two years left to run.
There have been rumours of friction over transfers, incomings and outgoings, and the Diego Costa saga has still not been resolved.
Conte added: "I have still two years, this season and next season to work with this club. Then if we stay very well and we have the same vision, we continue. I don't see any problems about the future. "I think that I stay in the right club at this point of my career."
Asked if Chelsea share his vision, he said: "I have the vision to work. I have only this vision. Sometimes slowly, slowly, to try to improve to build something important.
"But if you ask me how long this path is, my answer is we need time. Honestly, we need time.
"To arrive and try to fight for Champions League, to try to fight to be the best in the world, you need time."
Conte's immediate concern is Sunday's game against Tottenham which is live on Sky Sports Premier League following a 3-2 defeat to Burnley on the opening day of the season.
