Antonio Conte has revealed that he enjoys having a head massage to deal with the stresses that come with management in the Premier League.
Conte, 52, is known for being a charismatic figure on the touchline wherever he has managed with those traits certainly on display in Tottenham’s disappointing 3-2 defeat to Southampton on Wednesday.
The Italian’s side led twice in the encounter but ended up conceding two quick-fire goals late in the second half to throw crucial points away, as the race for the Champions League places continued to heat up.
The manner in which Spurs fell to the Saints led Conte to cut a frustrated figure in the dugout, pacing up and down his technical area and even kicking a number of water bottles to vent his anger (BBC Sport).
But away from the game entirely, the former Inter Milan coach has admitted that he enjoys receiving a head massage to take away the stresses of being a football manager.
Conte said (via Football.London): “I like to have a massage, a relaxing massage. I like this, especially in my head because the head is the part that I need – and my shoulders – to be more relaxed.
“I accumulate the stress especially in my neck and my shoulders and if I have time, yeah I enjoy a good massage.”
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Conte, despite being a strict coach when it comes to nutrition, also said that his move into management has allowed him to relax and push the boat out on his own dietary preferences.
He added: “First I like Nutella. Every morning my breakfast is bread with Nutella and a coffee, but for me, I don’t play football anymore.
“I’m a coach so I can eat Nutella every day now, along with cakes and pasta and I think the food is important for a player.
“If you eat well and recover well you have more energy for the game, but pasta is good to eat. It’s good to eat carbohydrates and protein. Also, fats in the right amounts are good.
“For sure good food, good health is important. For injuries, to have good energy and to recover well, but in Tottenham, I haven’t changed anything.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Conte seems like the type of manager that has his own methods of relaxing considering he is so animated on the touchline. A manager like him should inspire plenty of confidence for players because he is so invested, which explains why he gets stressed under all that pressure.
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