Ballack: Conte's Passion Key  (Sky Sports)

Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has told Sky Sports News HQ that Antonio Conte is a winner who is utterly convinced with his tactics.

Ballack spent four seasons at Stamford Bridge between 2006 and 2010, winning one league title, three FA Cups and one League Cup.

Conte's crop are 10 points clear at the summit of the Premier League with 10 games left and Ballack praised the Italian manager on Premier League Daily.

"I've been really impressed so far," Ballack said. "Since [Antonio] Conte came in, he brought the team back in line and they're leading the table comfortably in front of Tottenham and Man City.

"All teams have high expectations but he seems to be able to have good access to the players and built up a quick new relationship which is always important after a disappointing season last season.

"He changed his system very early so it was really interesting to see how he could adapt to a new group and have such a huge impact, and they're doing fantastic."

Chelsea began the season in unconvincing fashion, losing at home to Liverpool and 3-0 away to Arsenal in September, but Conte then reverted to the 3-4-3 system he had deployed successfully with Italy.

Former Germany international Ballack revealed he had been to watch Conte's training sessions with Chelsea and that they were based largely on repetition and Conte's complete belief in his tactics.

"Italian coaches like playing a certain tactic," Ballack added. "They are convinced with a certain tactic and if they are convinced, they repeat it all the time, and that's what they're doing in training at Chelsea.

"They repeat sessions three, four times a week so the players also get comfortable with the system and it automatically gets in the players' brains, and in the game when you are under pressure you know the situation and things go automatically well, which you can't really explain.

"I think that's what he likes to do with his training and it was good to watch. Of course, he's passionate. He's a winner you can see that.

"He seems to be calm sometimes but when he's on the line he has this little bit extra and when you're a player and you look to your coach and he's leading with such passion, that's good to watch."