Ahead of the blockbuster weekend fixture at Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte gave a press conference that was filled with informative entertainment. While talking to the media, he gave some critique of the media, and discussed his club’s policies with reporters.
No doubt this will lead to some editorializing by the media, as they report on media relations, and thus the circle of life reinforces itself. Conte downplayed the idea of a major rift existing between he and his big boss, Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy. He implied that this narrative was fabricated by the British media.
Manchester City vs Tottenham
When is it? Saturday 19th February, 5.30 PM
Where is it? Etihad Stadium, Manchesterย
Whoโs in form? Manchester City (DWWWW) Tottenham (WLWLL)
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What are the odds? Man City (-370) Tottenham (+1100) Draw (+475)
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Starting XI Prediction: Man Cityย ย Tottenham
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Conte also said that his club doesn’t want to him to speak to the media in his home country of Italy.
โIt created a bit of a disturbance,โ the Italian said of the British media, in his opinion, trying to drive a wedge between him and Levy.
โI donโt understand why someone wants to create a problem with me; not only me but also coaches in the past. I read a lot of stories in the past about the club and it creates a problem with the coach and the chairman.
โThe chairman knows very well my thoughts. If I have to speak with him, I go to speak with him. Itโs not important for me to go to the media. I can speak to him.”
Regarding reporters from his native land, Conte again spoke of a disturbance.
โI was a bit disturbed by this situation especially because I had an interview with the Italian media,” the Spurs gaffer continued.
“It means the club now doesnโt want me to speak to Italian media because the translation was not so clear in my thoughts.โ
It is true that the narrative persists of Antonio Conte being a supposed hot head, who often doesn’t work well with others. It has been thought, for some time that he is very stubborn, and when he doesn’t get his way, things often implode. How much is just smoke versus actual fire?
How does one separate the truth from fiction? Well, unless you’re really there, behind the scenes, you don’t really know and thus it is hard to truly say.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of โTransatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,โ as well as โNo, I Canโt Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.โ
He has regularly appeared in WGN,ย Sports Illustratedย and theย Chicago Tribune,ย and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast.ย Follow himย onย Twitterย andย Instagram.ย
