ANTONIO CONTE has at all times taken delight in residing to work.
However his traumatic previous few months have made him realise that there’s extra to life than his job.
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The Tottenham manager has suffered three tragedies to close friends.
Gian Piero Ventrone, Spurs’ beloved health coach, handed away in October from leukaemia on the age of 61.
Serie A legend and nice pal Sinisa Mihajlovic succumbed to the identical dreadful illness final month, aged simply 53.
Conte was then mourning the loss of Gianluca Vialli, his team-mate for Juventus and Italy, together with the remaining of the footballing world when the Chelsea hero died of pancreatic most cancers a fortnight in the past.
The Spurs boss, 53, mentioned: “This season is a tough season from a private facet.
“To lose in such a short while three those that I knew very nicely, Gian Piero Ventrone, then Sinisa and now Gianluca, it was not easy.
“For certain, when this example occurs it brings you to have vital reflections.
“As a result of many occasions we give loads of significance to our work and we overlook the household, we overlook that we have to have extra time for us.
“This season is making me have an vital reflection on my future.”
With his 15-year-old daughter at a key age concerning her schooling, Conte and his spouse have determined it’s higher for them to proceed to stay in Italy whereas he’s over in England.
It is smart given the “right here as we speak, gone tomorrow” nature of soccer administration — but it surely means he has spent loads of time alone throughout these tough few months.
Whereas his assistant Cristian Stellini revealed earlier this month that Conte will not be one to speak about his emotions with his workers, that he’s a “sturdy man”, so the Spurs boss can have been carrying all that ache alone.
And it does appear to have given him a brand new perspective on what’s vital.
Conte defined: “When work is on the prime of your thoughts, perhaps we overlook to stick with the household, we overlook to spend time with friends.
“However that is our ardour and for the fervour we misplaced loads of issues.
“When this example occurs, you begin to suppose perhaps typically it is usually good to provide extra time to your loved ones and friends and your self.
“The work will not be all the pieces in life.”
Conte’s tough interval has not been helped by his group struggling. Spurs are by way of to the final 16 of the Champions League and nonetheless within the hunt for the Premier League prime 4.
However outcomes have been poor of late, with three defeats of their final six league video games.
Some followers are beginning to get pissed off, whereas others are unconvinced Conte’s coronary heart is admittedly in it given his contract expires in the summertime and he’s but to decide to contemporary phrases.
Requested the way it feels to listen to that his dedication is being questioned, notably given what he has been by way of personally, Conte replied: “I don’t learn and I don’t hear this however the individuals who know me can inform me that I could possibly be not coach.
“However concerning the dedication and what I give the membership the place I work, no membership was sad about this.
“Often once I left the membership they remorse me loads as a result of they knew the way in which I work and the dedication I put into the membership.”
The previous Chelsea, Juventus and Inter Milan chief even hinted that Spurs are eager for him to remain longer as a result of of his tireless work ethic.
He mentioned: “I give all the pieces for the membership. Not just for Tottenham — for Inter, for Juventus, for each membership the place I used to be the coach.
“It’s regular that once I end the day I’m drained as a result of I work loads for the membership. And because of this the membership need me to remain for a protracted interval.”
It doesn’t get any simpler for Spurs as they go to Manchester Metropolis tonight, dealing with what Conte reckons is “the most effective group on the earth”.
Tottenham can take coronary heart from their 3-2 win on the Etihad final time period, when Harry Kane scored twice.
Spurs go into the sport as underdogs, which can assist given they’ve struggled with the strain of being favourites in current weeks.
But Conte mentioned: “If my group goes to play with a group on the backside of the desk or in first, I put the identical strain — as a result of for me the strain is a optimistic.
“The strain permits me to provide 100 per cent. If I’m relaxed and I don’t have vitality, it’s not sign for myself.”
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