Home » “It makes me laugh” – Antonio Conte debunks claims that he must spend large sums of money to win trophies

“It makes me laugh” – Antonio Conte debunks claims that he must spend large sums of money to win trophies

By Eddie Razo -

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is known for wanting his clubs to invest heavily to win trophies. It’s something that he’s done at Chelsea, Juventus, and Inter Milan. However, the Italian tactician laughed at the notion that he needs to spend big to win any silverware. 

In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport (via The Independent), he stated that he’s often worked with young talent through a club’s youth system and built up players upon his arrival to a new team. 

“It makes me laugh,” Conte said. “Let me tell you that in my career, in the end, I have always made money, not spent. I have often worked with young people to train, depreciated athletes, or to be rebuilt players who had never won until then.

“All players who have re-evaluated, thanks to my work. In my career, I have only asked for a player who has been paid a lot. Tottenham has world top club structures. The team must be up to it. Today there is a gap between investments made by the company and sporting results: we have to fill it.”

There’s no denying that Conte will demand that Tottenham invest a large sum of money into the squad, but it seems he also wants to break in talent from the youth academy. 

Furthermore, the team has other talents that the 52-year-old wants to rebuild, who they remain to be seen, but the January window should indicate who he would like to see gain confidence under his watch for the second half of the season. 

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Steve 'Killer Cushion' Williams
Steve 'Killer Cushion' Williams
2 years ago

Accurate numbers taken off Transfermarkt… Conte has purchased 435 players. Players with fee 89.. Average fee per player has been £9,710,919. Now let’s compare this to Botchy. Botch has purchased 169 players. Players with fee 46.. Average fee per player £10,036,565. So Botch has actually spent more on average per player.. It’s a myth that Conte needs a shed load. The kind of waffle the papers come out with.. Contes biggest ever signing was Lukaku 66mil for Inter.. Botches biggest was 54 mil Ndombele… Not much between them on spending.. Now compare trophies between the two men..

Steve 'Killer Cushion' Williams
Steve 'Killer Cushion' Williams
2 years ago

He’s telling the truth.. He spent 187 million in two years at the Chavs. Not exactly a shed load. Conte wanted Lukaku but he went to United for 75mil and they got him Morata instead.

dembeleshapedhole
dembeleshapedhole
2 years ago

managing our expectations again

East Stand
East Stand
2 years ago

Oh dear… This suggests Antonio, just like all before him, has been forced to tow the company line. Like we thought it would be any other way?

England Mike
England Mike
2 years ago

I meant on a personal level.

Archibald&Crooks (SnideChump)
Archibald&Crooks (SnideChump)
2 years ago

2 points from me

  1. What the hell has Rodon done that Sanchez hasnt done twice as badly
  2. This Academy bullsit gets on my nerves just shows Levy cannot truly give it up.

We all have great hopes for Dane but when he plays he looks a boy amongst men he is a few years off yet so who else is there (same for Markanday)

Glory Costs Too Much
Glory Costs Too Much
2 years ago
Reply to  England Mike

Every coach/manager needs money.

Glory Costs Too Much
Glory Costs Too Much
2 years ago

He needs a small fortune to improve this squad, he spend a shedload at Chelsea.
Sounds to me like he is towing the enic line; money not needed, Academy bursting with worldies, I’ll wave my magic wand blah blah.

Last edited 2 years ago by Glory Costs Too Much
England Mike
England Mike
2 years ago

Conte doesn’t need money, but dangling such an incredible salary for eighteen months work in front of him, has proved too much of a temptation, but thinking positively, he must have seen more than just that to make him take up the challenge.
The prospects are not looking favourable to us fans but he must believe he can at least improve the teams position and take the club forward during his tenure, even if that proves temporary.
There is no point in looking beyond that, so let’s see where we end up and just hope he can revitalise us, but of course we all know that new players are urgently required, and just as importantly there are players who need moving out.
I don’t believe there should be targets such as top four or a trophy, just getting the team in a place where they know what they are doing with a system and mentality to suit, because for too long we have been a club without any direction despite valiant attempts by others.

Tangangry
Tangangry
2 years ago

I’ be surprised if any truly exciting signings come (or go) in January.

I think its more a case of plugging the holes based on the new system, for example Doherty has proven himself to be useless, and this means we have no back up wing back to Emerson, which will be a problem toward the end of the season or if he gets injured.

We are also in desperate need of someone with a bit more experience and attacking quality than Skipp to partner Hoj in the centre. Plus the perennial issue of what happens if Kane gets injured… we could do with a short term loan maybe to cover him.

Getting NDom back to France on some loan-to-buy would be good too, sick of watching him huff and puff and hobble around for 5 minutes whenever he gets dispossessed!

eddie
eddie
2 years ago

These are fine sentiments from Conte to say that he can also bring young players through the system.To my knowledge we have no youngsters pushing to get a start in the first team squad,but I stand to be corrected.

The problem,as just about everybody on this blog has pointed out,is that Levy’s MO of buying cheap punts to sell on at a profit later on has almost never worked.

Even when he has paid a big sum for a player it would appear no due diligence was done and we’re left with very expensive lemons,who will leave at a lose should we be able to move them on.

Of course the reason we are left with so much deadwood is that he over values the dross for resale.He cannot be seen to have made a mistake.It requires a complete change of policy by Levy to effect any meaningful change.

Sadly I doubt that will happen under this regime.So i fully expect Conte to have walked before the summer.

MarkSpur
MarkSpur
2 years ago

When Shearer left for Blackburn is when I felt the doubts, no sign of even an offer or interest from Spurs. Before the nineties, we were always in for the best, even after the O’Neill disaster, put right by Burkinshaw with Ardiles & Villa, Crooks and Archibald. Since then a rather sour Sugar and his buy cheap, sell dear philosophy, we have suffered and our board just will not listen to their manager. Forget the suns budget, if you divide Pochettino’s wages over the entire 12 or so years, the average is not far off. Yes, I would want to be a prem manager, the riches are exquisite. Poch was given time, knew what he wanted and in the end gave up, and we are left like a flat balloon. Levy is desperate for the right manager, but just will not learn trading does not bring success, only when trading is applied to nous of players, integration and playing style. Levy says one thing, DNA, as in Nicholson, and gets in Nuno. A lion replaced by a sheep. Until Levy realises to allow his manager to run and decide the team and acquisitions, nothing will change. We feel Conte’s frustrations across the world and he will be glad to get out, unless. Unless Levy moves on or eases up on the strings and control? Cannot see it. We are a business content to sell sugar based coke while Newcastle will be and Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea sell champagne, as we used to. And Poch is off to Utd. I could and will cry. Where do we fit in this? Boxing matches, pop stars and NFL on the plastic, which is our current DNA, and football, or our excuse for it, on the grass. Mura was about as embarrassing as it gets, Gross territory. I guess Gross looked good on the stats, same as those left-back’s etc. that do not fit the style or have the quality, but their pass, tackle, movement looked good at Kickabout Utd. and were the boxed ticked, cheap. Even if Conte improves things, just watch Newcastle over the next two seasons, 5 windows including this January where they will sign to survive, then take off. We will be eclipse on net spend and quality. Same as Man Utd. when Poch takes the reigns. Apart from Poch going up north, I am all out of tears. I used to laugh at Preston being successful 60 years earlier while Bill Nick and Burkinshaw warmed my heart and brought the glory and the style. Now Chelsea are Football royalty with 2 European Cups and we are the Preston, and it will take an oil sheik to change it. Ditchburn saves. Smith celebrates, ouch, that must have hurt the goalie. McKay tackles. Perryman moves upfield. Hoddle on the ball. All memories and it hurts. COYSPFR! (Come On You Spurs Pathe Film Reels!)

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