Gianfranco Zola has warned that incoming Chelsea manager Antonio Conte will need a good grasp of English by the time he arrives in order to start his new job well.
Chelsea legend Zola said the current Italy boss would need to build "a relationship of mutual respect" with his players and the "demanding" English media.
Current Italy boss Conte is learning English ahead of his move to the Premier League in the summer, and Zola told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "The English media is demanding. He's going to have to build a relationship of mutual respect. And then the sooner you learn the language, the better it is -- you can't work through interpreters."
Zola said he believed Conte was "the right choice for a strong, prestigious club," adding: "He needs to amalgamate his ideas of football with a league, a culture and a country which is different for him.
"It should not be a problem, because I'm sure they have studied in depth what he did in Turin and with Italy.
"He's got outstanding pedigree, and you can also see his handwriting on the national team."
Zola said Conte "knows how to work with champions and talented players" and added: "He demands a clear communication -- if he tells you that you need to eat the grass, then you've got to give him what he wants perfectly.
"[Roman] Abramovich wants to win the league and he wants to win the Champions League, and he's going to have the right man for that objective."