Conte opens up on details about first meeting with Levy and what was asked of him

Antonio Conte has admitted that he only accepted the Tottenham job because the club’s hierarchy wanted him to build a solid foundation instead of demanding immediate results. 

There has certainly been an uptick in form since Conte’s arrival at Tottenham, with the Lilywhites having won two and drawn one of the three Premier League games under the Italian.

There have even been suggestions over recent weeks of a £150m war chest being available to the Tottenham boss during January.

However, earlier this week, Conte insisted he has not spoken about the money available to spend in January and is more concerned about getting the best of the players at his disposal.

The 52-year-old stated that he is keen to build something ‘great’ over the long-term at the North London club.

The Tottenham boss has now once again conveyed a similar sentiment, stating that it was made clear to him his job was about rebuilding the side. He added that he would not have accepted the job if the club had made unrealistic demands.

Conte told Football.London: “When I arrived and spoke with the club, they didn’t ask me for anything. Daniel Levy wanted me strongly, not because I will bring with me stupid promises.

“Daniel Levy wanted me here for my reputation, for my work, my ideas, my method, my capacity to build something important, especially because in the start they didn’t have a solid foundation.

“I think he wanted me for this reason and I accepted for this reason. Honestly, if he asked me something different I would probably have said, ‘thanks very much but it’s not the right moment’.”

Spurs Web Opinion 

Conte’s track record suggests that he does not stay at clubs for longer than two to three years. The fact that the Italian has only been handed an 18-month contract with an option of an extension, also hints that this is not exactly a long-term project.

However, I understand why is keen to play down the idea of delivering instant success as that would only put more pressure on himself, especially given the kind of teams and managers he is competing with in the Premier League. 

Related Topics