Antonio Conte insists he is ‘committed’ to Tottenham after questioning his future at the club following his side’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to Burnley on Wednesday.
Conte sparked concern that he was going to walk away from the North London club after his side suffered their fourth defeat in five Premier League games.
However, Conte says he never came close to resigning. Although, he did admit to being incredibly ‘angry’ at the result given the fact he is a ‘perfectionist’.
He also encouraged his players to feel the same ‘anger’ he felt as he believes it’s an important tool for motivation.
Antonio Conte hinted he would walk away from Tottenham after the 1-0 defeat at Burnley
Conte said he was ‘angry’ about Tottenham’s disappointing defeat as he is a ‘perfectionist’
When asked whether he came close to resigning at Tottenham’s pre-match press conference, Conte said: ‘No but I think my words were very, very clear and I said that it is not normal in the last 5 games to lose 4 games.
‘When this happens this type of situation for sure you have to do a refresh and to start to make evaluations why this happened and to try to find a solution, try to find an answer.
‘I think this normal also because I’m not used to lose in this way. When I was a player and when I was coach and for this reason for sure this type of situation hurts me a lot and I hope also my players and also the club.’
Having been pressed on whether he ever considered leaving, Conte said: ‘I think that in this moment the best solution for us is to continue to work very hard.
Conte said Spurs’ form was like that of a team fighting to avoid relegation after their defeat
It is the first time Conte has lost four games from five and he called Spurs’ run ‘unacceptable’
‘The work is the only way to try to give satisfaction to our fans, to the club and it’s important to be focused. I repeat on the present because in the present we have to find solutions.
‘I’m repeating the same things, we need time and we need patience. The club is the first to know what is our real situation and they have confirmed they are very happy about my work, about what we are doing with my staff, the change which we brought in these 4 months.
‘I’m a perfectionist and I know that my work will bring improvement in the future but at the same time I’m a person that I want to reach a result quickly and when I lose (laughs) in don’t stay so happy.’
Conte went on to say that he wanted his players to ‘angry’ in the same way he was ‘angry’ after their defeat to Burnley on Wednesday night.
When asked whether he had spoken to Daniel Levy, the Tottenham manager said: ‘Yes I spoke to Daniel Levy. Our chairman knows very well that I’m here to help the club in every moment.
However, the Tottenham boss said he never considering quitting Spurs despite hinting at it
‘I will do that until the end. That’s the reality and he knows that we’re working hard. He has great consideration about our job and the job of my staff.
‘I repeat I want to help the club with every aspect. He shows me great consideration every day and for this reason I’m committed for this club much more because I know the consideration for me is very high.’
He went on to add: ‘It’s important now. I’m a realistic person and for now the most important thing is the present and not look forward too much.
‘We have to finish this season. We are working very hard and we deserve much more. The players at the club, especially our fans, deserve the best and for us to make them happy.
‘It’s important to be focused now. We’re working well and we’ve started to go in the right direction despite negative or positive results.
‘Also for the future there is more clarification. To clean the situation and then to continue to build.’
Conte’s comments at the press conference came after he hinted at quitting Tottenham following their loss to Burnley on Wednesday night.
Conte says he spoke with Daniel Levy after his outburst following their loss on Wednesday
Conte says the Tottenham chiefs are ‘very happy’ with the work he is doing at the club
The Spurs boss said his side were showing the form of relegation candidates after they slumped to a fourth defeat in five Premier League games.
Speaking after the game, Conte said: ‘I have to talk to the club. I am too honest to close my eyes and continue in this way, and also take my salary.
‘I want to take my responsibility. I am open for every decision because I want to help Tottenham.
‘Four defeats in the last five games, this is the first time in my life this type of situation has happened. This is unacceptable.
‘I came in to try and improve the situation with Tottenham but maybe in this moment, I am not so good to improve it.
‘I’m trying to do everything to change the situation but the situation is not changing.
However, he has said that the Tottenham squad but ‘continue to work hard’ under him
‘Someone has to speak about the race for the fourth place, and the reality from the last five games is we have to pay attention to not fight for the relegation zone.
‘This is the truth, this is the reality, and when this type of situation happens, maybe there is something wrong.
‘I’m too honest to close my eyes and to continue to say, “OK I want to finish the season in this way and OK my salary is good”. I want to make an assessment with the club.’
When asked whether he was losing his patience after telling the fans to keep theirs, Conte said at Tottenham’s pre-match press conference: ‘For sure when I lose a game I am not the person to go and have a dinner.
‘I think that I am not the right person, when I lose a game my mood is very bad and I prefer to stay alone and live the defeat, to stay alone and metabolise the defeat.
Tottenham are back in action on Saturday afternoon for their Premier League clash with Leeds
‘I need one day to recover at least. This is me. It is me. I don’t like to lose. If you ask me what I hate in life it is to lose games. My mentality is to prepare myself, to prepare the players and to avoid this type of situation.
‘There are many coaches that don’t suffer. I wanted to be a little soft but at the same time to be this way makes me a person that in his career I won as a player and then as a coach.
‘For sure when I lose, if you expect that I am happy or to come to a press conference and laugh, I am not this person.
‘I am sorry if I show my disappointment because maybe it would be good to keep this inside and not show my emotion. I am an honest person it is difficult for me to lie or hide the truth and for this reason.
More to follow…
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