Cristian Stellini has called on everyone at Tottenham to create a siege mentality amidst all the negativity that is coming from media outlets over recent weeks.
Just days following Antonio Conte’s departure, it emerged that Fabio Paratici’s ban from Italian football had been extended globally, with the Spurs managing director of football agreeing to take an immediate leave of absence pending the outcome of his appeal.
Last week, The Telegraph claimed that some at the club feel that this is the biggest crisis Daniel Levy had faced in over two decades in charge since the club currently do not have a full-time head coach or a director of football while Harry Kane’s future remains unresolved.
However, Stellini has dismissed that suggestion, accusing the media of trying to ‘punch’ Spurs and insisting that the players are using the negative headlines as motivation to perform.
When asked about the reports about Tottenham being in crisis, the interim head coach told Football. London: “Around us, there is a lot of speculation.
“The club is here, the fans are with us, the stadium is there, football, we will play football again. So all the speculation is only speculation.
“We have to be worried only about the game we have to play and the way we want to play the game.
“The more you try to punch us, the more we are tight, we stick together and more we react.
“This has to be clear for you guys and for all the people who try to punch us, because with the speculation, you create only energy on us. This has to be clear for everyone.”
Stellini also brushed aside any concerns about Kane’s future in North London, remarking that the striker is focused on doing well in the games ahead.
When asked about the fact that the England captain had not committed his future yet, the Italian responded: “This is why I said you try to punch us and we react together and to be strong. This is what we do if you continue to speak about this.
“I said that Harry Kane is our top scorer and he wants to play the best matches in his life, because this is what I feel and if you try to speculate on this we want to play the next match at the best.
“This is my job. It’s not my job to speak about other things.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Talk of a ‘crisis’ are clearly overblown as we would move into third place in the Premier League table with a win over Everton this evening.
However, having said that, the situation surrounding Paratici is far from ideal as it has thrown a spanner in the works of the club’s managerial search.