Reggae Boy Michael Hector on Chelsea Bench for First Friendly
Jamaican centre half selected by new boss Conte
Michael Hector, Jamaica’s towering defender, was involved in Chelsea’s inaugural outing under new boss Antonio Conte. The 23-year-old was selected in Conte’s squad that tackled hosts Rapid Vienna on Saturday, but was an unused substitute in their shock 2-0 defeat.
London-born Hector, signed by Chelsea last September in a deadline day deal from Reading, stayed with the English Championship side on loan last season. But after manager Jose Mourinho was fired by Chelsea, with Guus Hiddink in temporary charge until former Juventus and Italian head coach Conte was appointed in May, then it was up in the air whether Hector would be part of Chelsea’s 2016-2017 campaign.
Conte, who won a trio of Serie A crowns with Turin-based team Juventus utilising his creative and innovative 3-5-2 formation, surprisingly opted for a 4-2-3-1 line-up in Austria with Hector not getting the nod.
And already Hector’s future at Chelsea, before he has kicked a ball in a competitive fixture, appears to be under threat with a string of Italian-based centre halves apparently being touted by Conte.
Hector’s rise to the highly level has taken time, having joined Reading in 2009 and being loaned out to numerous non-league clubs as well as lower tier teams in the English League as well as a season-long loan at Aberdeen in the Scottish Premier League for the 2013-14 season.
A relative newcomer to the Reggae Boyz, called up for duty in February 2015 for friendlies against Cuba and Venezuela, he made his international debut in June 2015 in the 1-0 reversal to Uruguay in the Copa America.
Capped 17 times by the Boyz, Hector’s presence is felt by the opposition and this term he has a chance to shine for what will be his first season in the English Premier League.
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