LONDON -- Antonio Conte insisted that he will never be afraid to speak his mind at Chelsea, adding that he is "not a diplomatic man."
Reports earlier this week suggested that the Chelsea hierarchy are becoming increasingly frustrated with Conte's claims that he has little impact on the decisions his club makes about recruitment or the players they pursue in the transfer market.
Tensions first flared in the summer, when Conte was denied priority targets Alex Sandro and Leonardo Bonucci and Manchester United hijacked Chelsea's proposed move for striker Romelu Lukaku, and the surprise resignation of long-serving technical director Michael Emenalo in November has not helped relations between the Italian and club director Marina Granovskaia, who handles transfer talks.
Conte has also escalated his public conflict with Jose Mourinho in recent weeks, calling the United boss a "little man" with a "very low profile" and a "fake" in an explosive news conference that followed Chelsea's goalless draw with Norwich City in the FA Cup third round at Carrow Road.
The prevailing sense around Stamford Bridge is that Chelsea and Conte will part ways in the summer, and on Friday the Italian was adamant that he will not temper his words to make life easier for himself or others.
"I'm in this way," he said. "For sure I'm not a diplomatic man. I think you can see this. [Those] who know me very well, they know I'm not a diplomatic man. At the same time, I think I'm very honest. And when you are honest with yourself and with others, no one [can think] me a failure.
"I'm sure if I try to change myself, it's right to stop, to stop my career when I was a footballer, to stop my career as a coach.
"I repeat: I think the honest person speaks very clearly in every moment. If you are fake, you try always to not tell the truth, to try to find a way to... I prefer to be honest, to tell the truth in every moment. I hate the fake person."
Asked if he thought his outspoken manner could cost him his job at Chelsea, Conte laughed and replied: "This is a good question, but I answered you before."
Conte claimed last week that Chelsea are enjoying a "good season," despite trailing Manchester City by 15 points in the Premier League and being drawn against Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16 after finishing runners-up to Roma in the group stage.
Asked if he is proud of his achievements at Chelsea, Conte said: "Yes, for sure. I'm really proud, because I think that we are doing fantastic things. To work in this way you must be really proud for what we are doing, me and the players."
Conte's selection decisions and postmatch comments have attracted criticism from some Chelsea supporters following negative results this season, but he is adamant that he would change nothing.
"No regrets, no," he added. "I think when I take a decision, I don't want to look behind [to the past]. I want always to look at the present, to look in front of me. I think this is the best way to improve yourself, to try to find a solution, don't try to find alibis, excuses. I think this is the right way."