Antonio Conte has said he is happy to speak directly to his chairman, Daniel Levy, about any contentious issues at Tottenham after the club barred him from conducting interviews with the Italian media.
During an interview with Sky Sport Italia this week Tottenham’s politically astute Italian manager appeared to suggest his squad had been “weakened" by the board’s decision to allow four “important" players to leave during January while recruiting only two replacements and said the club’s transfer policy would slow the rate at which he can make the team competitive.
Conte implied on Friday that the English media were endeavouring to drive a wedge between him and Levy. “It created a bit of a disturbance," he said. “I don’t understand why someone wants to create a problem with me; not only me but also coaches in the past. I read a lot of stories in the past about the club and it creates a problem with the coach and the chairman.
“The chairman knows very well my thoughts. If I have to speak with him, I go to speak with him. It’s not important for me to go to the media. I can speak to him.
“I was a bit disturbed by this situation especially because I had an interview with the Italian media. It means the club now doesn’t want me to speak to Italian media because the translation was not so clear in my thoughts."
Conte said he had told Sky Italia that Tottenham had done the best they could in the transfer window and that “we are more complete" with the arrivals of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus. “I think I was very, very clear," he said.
Spurs travel to Manchester City on Saturday evening aiming to arrest a run of three straight Premier League defeats which have seen Conte’s side slip to eighth, seven points adrift of a top-four place with games in hand.
His mood was not improved by Storm Eunice forcing the cancellation of Tottenham’s flight to Manchester on Friday, leaving the squad facing a road trip, but Conte at least welcomed Eric Dier’s return after a thigh injury.
Dier, described as “an important player" by his manager, will almost certainly be called to arms, particularly as Conte regards City as near flawless. “They are maybe the best in the world and almost perfect," he said. “On one side you have a team in a fantastic period of form and on other other you have a team trying to build something important for the future. At the moment, we are on two different levels."
Given that Conte had earlier reminded his audience he was accustomed to “challenging for titles", he was asked whether the Spurs job was turning out to be not quite as advertised. “I always said I’m enjoying my time with Tottenham, enjoying working with these players," he replied. “We have four months until the end of the season and we have to try to do our best to finish in the best position – and then we will see."
Spurs tell Conte not speak to Italian press
posted on 19/2/22
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 5 hours, 1 minute ago
comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 3 hours, 42 minutes ago
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 41 minutes ago
Hugo
Emerson Romero Dier Sess
PEH Bentancur Reguilon
Kane Son
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I know no-one expects to win, but still. Might as well play 11 men.
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We do need an excuse, don't we?
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posted on 19/2/22
Anyone else think that Conte sounds like Borat?
Listening to him on the radio last night I swear it was Borat lol
posted on 19/2/22
comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 39 minutes ago
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 5 hours, 1 minute ago
comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 3 hours, 42 minutes ago
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 41 minutes ago
Hugo
Emerson Romero Dier Sess
PEH Bentancur Reguilon
Kane Son
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I know no-one expects to win, but still. Might as well play 11 men.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We do need an excuse, don't we?
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Maybe put out 14 and hope nobody notices.......probably still get beat 2 or 3-0.
posted on 19/2/22
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 19/2/22
comment by Edinspur (U1109)
posted 10 hours, 10 minutes ago
comment by Anthony The King Elanga (U10026)
posted 1 hour, 1 minute ago
It doesn’t make sense to me, though. A manager as good as him, managing the clubs he has, shouldn’t have as poor a record in cups as he does. I’ve never been able to work it out and it’s now just a meme.
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I think because of his heavily automated football - it’s very effective (or should be) vs teams you are expected to beat. However I think it’s not as effective in the big games and his track record reflects that?
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Pundits in Italy said that his training methods were intensive to the point where Juve found it more difficult playing twice a week than most clubs - certainly it explains why he struggled when managing in the CL anyway
posted on 19/2/22
His training methods may be intensive but do they include patterns of play I wonder? He is another defensive, counter attacking coach but with personality.
posted on 19/2/22
comment by Ace (U22467)
posted 1 hour, 55 minutes ago
comment by Hezzman (U21558)
posted 14 minutes ago
Anyone else think that Conte sounds like Borat?
Listening to him on the radio last night I swear it was Borat lol
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Always thought Jose sounded more like Borat. Or Alexander the Meerkat.
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Lol yeah he does 🤣
posted on 19/2/22
comment by Anthony The King Elanga (U10026)
posted 15 hours, 53 minutes ago
It doesn’t make sense to me, though. A manager as good as him, managing the clubs he has, shouldn’t have as poor a record in cups as he does. I’ve never been able to work it out and it’s now just a meme.
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Think his unwillingness to switch up the back 3 is partly why his Champions League record is so poor. It's harder to enforce it being a back 3 (rather than a 5) against the quality of teams consistently in that competition, and that's backed up by his record domestically vs. title rivalling teams being only decent.
The domestic cups might simply be a case of him not caring about that as much. Not necessarily in team selections & such, but a force of personality like him will rub off on his squad & if he's meh towards them his players will be too. That's my best guess cos it is a bit weird.
posted on 19/2/22
comment by I Don't Trusty the Process - Kroenke Out (U21076)
posted 8 hours, 11 minutes ago
comment by Edinspur (U1109)
posted 10 hours, 10 minutes ago
comment by Anthony The King Elanga (U10026)
posted 1 hour, 1 minute ago
It doesn’t make sense to me, though. A manager as good as him, managing the clubs he has, shouldn’t have as poor a record in cups as he does. I’ve never been able to work it out and it’s now just a meme.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think because of his heavily automated football - it’s very effective (or should be) vs teams you are expected to beat. However I think it’s not as effective in the big games and his track record reflects that?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pundits in Italy said that his training methods were intensive to the point where Juve found it more difficult playing twice a week than most clubs - certainly it explains why he struggled when managing in the CL anyway
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yeah that’s definitely true too
posted on 19/2/22
comment by LukaBrasi COYS #FreePalestine (U22178)
posted 7 hours, 32 minutes ago
His training methods may be intensive but do they include patterns of play I wonder? He is another defensive, counter attacking coach but with personality.
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I think he is one of the most obvious cases of a manager including patterns of play in his training. Maybe a tie with Sarri.