Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte admits that the roster rebuild of his current club is going to take some time. Following yesterday’s 2-0 loss at Chelsea, Conte discussed what was ahead, in the January transfer window and beyond.
The Italian didn’t get into specific comings and goings, naming names or anything like that, but he did say that the project of turning Tottenham around will take several transfer windows, not just one.
“This is not the right moment to speak, the club know very well what I think,” Conte said at Stamford Bridge. (quotes via the BBC)
“There is not one transfer market to close the gap. The last few years, this gap became very big and now it is not simple to find a solution in a short time.
“I am only focused to work until the end, we have four months to try and give everything, but if we think we solve with the transfer market the situation, it is not the reality. You need many years, but for sure we have to start.”
Dele Alli could be closing on a loan move to Newcastle United soon while Tanguy Ndombele, the club’s record signing when he was acquired, could go out on loan to Paris Saint-Germain.
Conte continued:
“You have to sell or loan players and it is difficult, and then you have to find the right players for you. You can only start this process but you need many years. It won’t be easy, I spoke with the club and am totally in this position of the club to work and improve the situation on the pitch.”
Tottenham currently sit seventh in the table, but just two points behind Manchester United, over whom they hold two games in hand. The top four is still right there for them, once the number of matches played evens out.
Considering where and when Antonio Conte started out this season with Spurs, cleaning up the mess that Nuno Espirito Santo created, there are in a decent position.
Obviously, the gap between Spurs and the Premier League title contenders is vast. Conte continued on, discussing the talent and results disparity between his side and the EPL top tier.
“There is many points we have to try and work on, not only on the pitch, you have to improve in all aspects if you want to try and in two or three years to become competitive, but for sure we are working very hard on the pitch and you can see our work.
“For Chelsea it was a tough game, we have to continue this way. We have to work very hard to improve the situation. It depends the final result what you want.”
“I don’t like to lose and defeat is always difficult for me, but I think to have nine games in a row without defeat was important.
“In this moment, the gap with other teams like Chelsea is really an important gap and the team and the squad. The game was… I am proud for the effort. We tried to do everything but sometimes it is not enough, especially against a team like this.
“Now there is a big difference between us and the top teams.”
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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