Journalist suggests that Antonio Conte could remain at Spurs for ‘the long haul’

The Daily Mail’s Matt Barlow has suggested that Antonio Conte could end up building a long-term project at Tottenham Hotspur.

Conte has not tended to stick around for a long time in his previous management roles, having spent three years at Juventus and just two years in each of his last two clubs at Chelsea and Inter Milan.

However, the Italian hinted at times last season that he would be willing to build a project at Spurs if his vision his backed by the club’s hierarchy (ESPN).

Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici have certainly shown so far this summer that they are willing to back the 52-year-old’s ideas, and the Spurs head coach has been quite complimentary of the new signings the club have made (Spurs TV).

Journalist Dean Jones revealed on The Done Deal Show earlier this week that Conte ‘is very content’ with how the club have done their transfer business ahead of his first full season in charge at N17.

Barlow has now suggested that the former Inter boss’ demeanour during pre-season indicates that he is warming to the idea of staying at Tottenham beyond the end of his contract.

The journalist wrote in his column for The Daily Mail: “For Tottenham, these are positive indicators. Conte is like a man possessed once again. Focused on the task at hand. Happy with the signings completed so far by chairman Daniel Levy and managing director Fabio Paratici. Happy to be out on the training pitch, whipping them into shape with his coaching staff with barely a second to spare for anything else.

“Every media obligation Conte conducted in South Korea was done politely and respectfully, flashing a few smiles while emitting a general vibe that he really ought to be somewhere else doing something so much more important.

“His intensity proves his commitment. No more wondering aloud if Spurs have ambition to match his own. Conte has trained his focus onto forging his team, transmitting his purpose and aggression. When this happens, some measure of success usually follows. He is yet to fail.

“Ultimately, he said it was a ‘simple’ decision to commit to go on in the Spurs job. Qualifying for the Champions League was the first hook. Recruitment to his satisfaction was the next. Maybe he is even starting to consider if this partnership could stretch beyond this contract, which expires next year.

“This will soon become an issue for Levy, who has already invested heavily in the Italian as the man to end Tottenham’s trophy drought. Can he tie down Conte to make this a long-term project? All the signs are good.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The one thing we know about Conte is that he is not shy about voicing his discontents publicly or even walking away if he feels he is not getting backed.

So, the fact that he has repeatedly praised the club’s work suggests that he has signed off on every decision that is being made in terms of recruitment.

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