antonio conte happy
What’s the latest team news?
No news, no new injuries. You know Sessegnon is out, Bissouma, Bentancur and Lloris. No new injuries. We have another training session tomorrow but fingers crossed I hope for nothing different.
You were animated vs Nottingham Forest, the old Antonio seemed back, but the next day talk of new manager at Spurs, does that bother you?
No, I think we have to accept every type of situation. The most important thing to know is you’re working very hard every day to improve the club you’re working. For a manager, this is important and to know you’re giving not 100 per cent but much more to improve the club that believe in yourself.
For Harry Kane, it’s been another 20-goal season, have you given advice to club about Kane’s future and how important he is to any rebuild?
But I think that this is a question for the club. For sure, the club wants to involve Harry Kane for the rest of his career in my opinion. Because when you have this type of player, a world class striker like him, for sure you want him to stay here for the rest of his career. But then you know football, you know football. Sometimes it’s unpredictable but I think it’s not in my task to make a decision. This is a decision for the club and for Harry.
For Southampton, there was a defeat for them against Brentford, did you watch that game?
Yeah I watched the game, also the games against United and Chelsea. Southampton, I think the game (against Brentford) was really balanced and set-pieces made the difference. You know very well Brentford is really, really good at set-pieces. You have to pay attention to a corner, throw-in, all set-pieces. In every situation they’re really dangerous at this aspect but I’ve seen a team with great energy. A team that wants to play football, wants to try to get points and you know very well in the last part of the table there are many, many teams (separated by) a few points. For sure, they want to try to get points against us but we have to think to ourselves, we need to play an important game, to give continuity to the win against Nottingham Forest. Now we have started the last part of the season and the last part of the season is the most important part of the season. It depends where you finish in the league. For this reason we have to pay great attention, be focused, to go with great energy, to prepare very well not only in the tactical aspect but about the mentality. To be focused, to be strong and to be ready to fight in this type of game.
How does this Tottenham compare to side back in August on the opening day against Southampton?
I remember it well. We were 1-0 down. I remember very well because also last season we struggled a lot against Saints. We lost at home and we drew 1-1 away. It’s always a difficult game for us but the first game (of the season) we played a good game. We were 1-0 down, we came back and scored four goals. Now they’ve changed two managers since and they’re trying to do everything to avoid relegation zone but I repeat I watched the game yesterday and against United and Chelsea. I’ve seen a team alive, not a team that wants to go and have a relegation.
Has it become like Arsene Wenger said and now fourth place is like winning a trophy?
For sure to finish in the top four I think is a really, really good achievement for every club in the Premier League. You can see the table, you can see there are important teams, teams that in the past won trophies, important trophies and now they’re struggling for a place in Champions League.
I think this race will be really difficult this season. Don’t forget also other teams like Brighton, because Brighton they have important players in the squad and they are on a good run. I think they’re involved in this situation.
Brentford also are playing a fantastic season. There’s Newcastle, Liverpool and I don’t forget Chelsea. This season will be an important race for all the teams involved. There’s also United in this race. For sure it will be a good achievement to finish in Europe this season, like last season. I think in every season, to finish in the top four means you had a good season.
But you don’t celebrate it like winning a trophy? However it’s now so difficult to get top four, do we start to see it that way?
Don’t forget that Liverpool last season under Jurgen Klopp until the end of the season they were in a fantastic run to win everything. They lost the Champions League final, finished second in the Premier League with one point less than Manchester City, you remember what happened in the last game.
They won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. We’re talking about a big, big team used to winning in the past. Then it can happen once season that you can struggle. But they’re used to [winning]. In the last period in England, it was a fight between Manchester City and Liverpool.
And then Chelsea won their last Premier League with me. Otherwise they divide it Manchester City and Liverpool. It can happen, the Liverpool situation underlines the difficulty of the Premier League.
The Premier League is really difficult. I read that Guardiola said in every game this season you know that you have to fight and you risk dropping points. Because you know that every team is going to improve the squad. Look at Nottingham Forest, they have changed 22/23 players compared to last season.
Every team tries to improve, to be strong. I think that the Premier League is going to become the NBA in the next future. For this reason you have to be prepared, otherwise you risk to finish without silverware or Europe.
Have Fraser Forster’s performances given you a more difficult decision when Hugo Lloris comes back?
Fraser is playing very well. He’s showing to be a reliable player. First of all I want to underline that he’s a really, really good guy. I remember him when I was the coach of Juventus and we played Celtic in the Champions League. I remember really well because he impressed me to see him, the way to be a keeper. At the same time, for sure he’s a really good person, a positive person for the dressing room. I think he was a fantastic signing for the club, honestly. He’s showing that he deserves credit. Hugo is our keeper but before coming back he has to stay well. We don’t force the situation because I repeat Fraser is deserving to have credit and for this reason Hugo has to recover well. We don’t force the situation because it won’t be good for Hugo or us. We’re really happy with Fraser but at the same time when Hugo is ready he is our first keeper.
Ben Davies has more than 300 appearances for Tottenham and every manager has loved him, what makes him so special to you and the other managers?
These type of players are vital for every manager. Ben is a player that is showing always a great reliability and he’s a player that’s always focused. He always has the right desire. You know that Ben will finish the game and he will finish with his commitment top. Then you can win or lose but you know Ben is a reliable player. He is a player that it’s a privilege for every manager to have this type of player in his squad.
You previously said the club might sack you, but are you now confident that you will stay at the club until the end of the season?
This was a provocation, you understand, about my future. A provocation, a joke, ‘una battuta’. When you tell something, to joke. You asked me about the future and I said to you that you don’t know what happens. Because maybe the club can sack me. But I repeat: I don’t think the club is thinking this. The club sees everyday what me and my staff, we are doing for this club. It was only an answer about my future.
Have the club told you you’re safe until the end of the season?
I think there is not one club that can tell the manager you stay here until the end of the season. You know football is really strange. you don’t know what happens tomorrow, you understand. But I repeat: in my opinion we try in every moment to do everything, me and my staff. And I think the club appreciates this. Because if you continue to ask me if I sign a new contract, it means that maybe the club appreciates what we are doing, the work that we doing, in this one year and a half.
