Twitter Reacts as Chelsea Announce Antonio Conte as 1st-Team Head Coach

Football's worst-kept secret was finally confirmed on Monday when Chelsea announced that Antonio Conte will take over as first-team head coach after Italy's participation at UEFA Euro 2016 in France this summer.

It's been a turbulent season for the defending Premier League champions, who have recovered somewhat since the horror start to the term under Jose Mourinho to sit 10th with seven games to go.

Mourinho was sacked in December and replaced on a temporary basis by Guus Hiddink, and Blues fans are looking forward to the stability Conte could bring next season.

It was an appointment received warmly on Twitter for a range of (not always footballing) reasons:

Not that it necessarily came as a surprise to everyone:

"

Express your shock at Chelsea appointing Conte even though we all knew it was happening weeks ago time.

— 4/4/16 Seasons (@7Giocondo) April 4, 2016"

The Premier League's managerial lineup from 2016-17 has people talking:

As did how Chelsea might line up now Conte has been confirmed as boss at Stamford Bridge:

There was even speculation over what the appointment might mean for Leicester City coach Claudio Ranieri:

And there were the occasional warnings this wasn't a guaranteed recipe for success at Chelsea:

But for the Blues, the short-term focus is on the Saturday's trip to Swansea City in the Premier League.

[Twitter]