Chelsea starlet Nathaniel Chalobah insists youngsters have a chance under Antonio Conte
Chelsea have failed to promote a homegrown player into their first team on a regular basis since John Terry
NATHANIEL CHALOBAH insists young players can make the grade at Chelsea if they believe in themselves enough.
The Blues have been slammed for not developing enough stars - but Chalobah appears to be bucking the trend.
The England Under-21 midfielder made his first start for the club in their trouble-torn EFL Cup defeat at West Ham on Wednesday when fighting fans overshadowed his full debut.
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But Chalobah said: “It shows I get my chance. I think people sometimes forget that Chelsea is a very big club and they have got world-class players at the club and for young players coming through.
“It is always going to be difficult, it is never going to be easy. But it is down to the coaching staff to see how well we do in training and down to the player, how much believe they have in themselves to keep pushing every day.”
Chelsea have been criticised for sending 38 players out on loan this season.
But Chalobah – who has previously been farmed out to Watford, Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, Burnley, Reading and Napoli, reckons it is a great way to gain experience.
He said: “I think all the players who are out on loan should have that belief anyway.
"They are good players if they are going out on loan and getting experience somewhere else. It is still experience.
“In terms of me getting a chance now, it is right place, right time but you have always got to keep the mentality the same and always try and work to improve yourself.
“Right place, right time, right manager and you never know what might happen. Just don't give up and keep going. And if it doesn't work at Chelsea, it will maybe work somewhere else.
"But you have to keep striving for the best.”
And Chalobah is benefiting from playing and training with the world-class members of Antonio Conte’s Chelsea squad.
Chalobah said: “Right now there is no better example than the two midfielders who are starting every week - the likes of N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic.
"You look at them every single week in training and you learn from them.
“Cesc Fabregas and Oscar are other world-class players who have won World Cups and massive tournaments.
"I have got the opportunity to train with them every single day and every day I am learning from them.
“I am learning from manager and staff so I can't really complain. They have all taken me under their wing and given me advice.
“The manager gives me advice a lot. And watcthing them benefits me a lot.”