antonio conte happy
Did this night show how big the gap is between this squad and the top sides?
Yeah but in my press conference before the game against Chelsea, I said this type of game can show us the gap there is between us and a top club like Chelsea. I think that we struggled, we struggled a lot this evening against Chelsea. They showed to be stronger, much stronger than us. For sure you have to be disappointed on one hand, but on the other hand, you have to understand there is an important difference. I know this. Also after this game and this game confirmed what I thought about the difference between the teams but we need to have patience. We need to have patience because there is a lot, a lot of job to do in many aspects. I think honestly that in this moment and the last years the level of Tottenham has dropped, it has dropped a lot. Now you have to rebuild. To rebuild you need to have patience and to have patience you need to have time. We have to know the situation. The situation is very clear. Then I understand that it’s not simple to accept this situations, especially for the fans. We’re working a lot to try to fight also in the league and stay [up there], but at the moment we’re in the middle. Our situation is this. We’re in the middle, not up and not down, we’re in the middle.
You spoke before the game about the need to have a strong mentality, so how frustrated were you with the first five minutes and the way you gave away the two goals?
Yeah, but the way we conceded the two goals was strange. For sure there is disappointment for this. The first goal, we conceded the first goal after a few minutes and then for sure the situation of the game became difficult for us. Conceding the second goal we were a bit unlucky, but when I speak about the improvement of the team and the squad, I include all these aspects. Also we try to improve the personality, try to make less mistakes during the game. Don’t lose stupid balls. I think this is part of a process and I repeat, I want to be very clear, in these games that we played since I was in charge, if you analyse the games, we struggled. Every game we struggled. We have to know this. We have to be realistic. We have to know that this season to get three points for us will be difficult, but we have to be ready to do this with all our strengths and our fans have to continue to be behind us in what we’re ready to do. They’re fantastic the fans but I want to tell the truth and be clear with our fans. Now we’re in the middle and we need time. This is the situation. We need to continue to work hard for 24 hours a day but we have to know there is a lot, lot of job to do to rebuild the situation in a competitive way.
You talk about rebuilding and bridging the gap, how much is that about bringing in new players starting this month?
Honestly, I also want to be very clear because if we think, with the transfer window in January, we solve the situation. I’m telling you a lie, not the truth. There is a lot of job to do. If someone thinks the transfer market can solve the situation… First of all, in January it’s very difficult to buy. Very, very difficult. Then you have to see if there’s the possibility to buy players that you need. I think we have to continue to work hard in the way we’re doing and continue to improve the level of our players. Then if there is some opportunities and the club is convinced by these opportunities to improve the team… But I repeat, I don’t see in the transfer window the resolution of our problems. The resolution of our problems now is to work and improve all many aspects of our squad. I repeat there is a lot of job to do. If you think if you buy one or two players and you solve the situation, you are not right.
How long will it take you to bridge that gap and make Tottenham the force they were again?
There is not only a problem of mentality here. If you want to stay at this level, look at Chelsea. Last season they won the Champions League and this season they invest much money to improve the team. I think this is enough to understand the difference at this moment between us and them, But I repeat, we need so much time. Believe me. We need so much time before we repeat the situation. You can repeat the situation in only six months or one year. But I think I have a bit of experience to tell you and also to speak. We need to stay united and try to rebuild an important situation for Tottenham. Now we’re in the middle. This is the truth. We’re in the middle.
