Tottenham Hotspur is still in the process of making over the north London club with manager Antonio Conte and Managing Director of Football Fabio Paratici. Despite the Italian tactician having them fighting for a top-four spot, there’s work that remains to be done.
Conte spoke with the media at his press conference, and one of the talking points the 52-year-old made was asking patience, considering rebuilding Spurs is one of the toughest challenges in his career.
He also elaborated on the differences between his stint at Chelsea when taking over the squad and when Conte decided to come aboard and be Spurs’ next manager.
“Compared to the past when I was at Chelsea, Tottenham is a different team. We have to try to build this team up again to being like Tottenham were at that moment,” Conte said, per Mirror.
“I remember very well, back then, Tottenham were really, really strong. They had an important squad with a mix of experience, a mix of strong young players, and now we are starting another way, another path. So we need to have patience, especially our fans.”
Conte added that before coming aboard, Spurs weren’t in the best shape, roster wise like the clubs that he’s managed in the past. Tottenham began last month the process of building the squad for Conte when they added Juventus duo Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, but it’s only the start.
“For sure. It’s a big challenge for me,” Conte said. “I know how it is. At Chelsea, they were tenth, but the previous season they won the league. That means you have a good basis to win again quickly. At Juventus, well – they are one of the best teams in the league, and last decade they have won nine times.
“Also with Inter [they were in good shape]. At the moment, with Tottenham, we are starting in a position further down. For this reason, we need more time. You have to build a lot of things. You have to create a good foundation. That’s the difference. You need time and patience. It would be stupid for me to make any proclamations in such a short period. We already know now that we have to work.”
Nonetheless, the heavy lifting will come in the summer, but even before that, Conte has a chance to clinch Champions League football for next season if they finish in the top four.