LONDON (Reuters) – Tottenham Hotspur supervisor Antonio Conte laughed off a suggestion that he has been extra subdued on the touchline in latest matches, saying he has been attempting to remain calmer with a purpose to train his gamers to take extra duty.
Conte, together with Liverpool’s Juergen Klopp, is one of the extra energetic managers within the league, and often spends lengthy intervals in video games raging in his technical space.
Tottenham’s final three matches have been in cup competitions, the place they suffered dwelling and away defeats by Chelsea within the League Cup semi-finals, both facet of a 3-1 win over Morecambe within the FA Cup.
“You should ask the referee or fourth official if I used to be calm towards Chelsea,” Conte informed a information convention on Friday forward of his facet’s Premier League match towards Arsenal this weekend. “He can be shocked by this query.
“During my administration (profession) I’ve to strive and likewise to see once I keep calm, (what’s) the reply of all my gamers. I believe that is additionally a method.
“I can drive the automotive however typically the driving force can keep seated and calm. It’s half of (the) course of to present extra duty to my gamers.
“If I need to pressure myself to dwell the sport in one other means, it’s going to be very, very tough, however typically I’ve to remain seated and go away my gamers to make the very best choice and face the sport in the course of the difficulties.”
Spurs are sixth within the standings, a spot and two factors beneath Arsenal however with two video games in hand. A victory at dwelling on Sunday will catapult them above their bitter rivals.
Conte mentioned Arsenal have been in all probability at a extra superior stage of their improvement and that he would use the sport to evaluate how far Spurs had progressed since he took over in November.
“They had extra time than us and (Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta) has the chance to work with the gamers for a pair of years… possibly for that reason they’re forward within the mission as a result of they’ve began earlier than (us) with the identical coach,” Conte mentioned.
“Arsenal is a extremely good group, however we need to… play this sort of sport and we need to understand how a lot we’re bettering.”
Spurs are already lacking a number of gamers as a consequence of a mix of COVID-19 instances and accidents. Defender Eric Dier stays sidelined with a muscular downside, whereas one other participant is suspected of having COVID-19, Conte added.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
