Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has described Antonio Conte as a calm and relaxed figure away from the football pitch but a ‘different animal’ when it comes to being on the training pitch.
Tottenham appointed the Italian manager earlier this week following the dismissal of Nuno Espirito Santo.
Loftus-Cheek, 25, worked under Conte during his time at Chelsea, in which he led the Blues to the Premier League title in the 2016/17 season.
Ironically, it was Spurs who proved to be Conte’s closest challengers during that campaign, who eventually had to settle for second under then-manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Conte is the latest manager to be tasked with ending Spurs’ silverware drought and will face the challenge of getting the club back into contention for the Champions League.
Much has been made of the appointment of the former Chelsea manager, and Loftus-Cheek has opened up on the 52-year-old’s demeanour having spent some time training under him in the past.
He told Sky Sports: “Off the pitch and around the building, to be fair, he is a really quiet guy, relaxed, laid-back, but he is just a different animal on the training pitch, and as you guys can see on the touchline, he is so passionate, so much passion goes into what he does.”
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Conte does seem to be that type of character, similar to Pochettino in a way, where he is friendly and approachable of the pitch but fully focused when it comes to on the training pitch.
He is the type of character Spurs have needed for a couple of years, and hopefully, he can steady the ship and instil a positive mentality at the club.
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