With Antonio Conte freshly installed as the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur, it was left to a Fabio Paratici news conference to discuss the new manager, Harry Kane and potential new signings. (Quotes from Football London and Sky Sports.)
Press Treated to Fabio Paratici News Conference
Plenty to Say
With Conte now the new manager of Spurs, it was left to director of football Fabio Paratici to meet the media ahead of the Europa Conference League tie against Vitesse Arnhem at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which takes place on November 4.
Paratici firstly wanted to address the departure of Nuno Espírito Santo. He said: “First of all I would like to thank Nuno and his staff for the job he did in this four months.
“It is not an easy decision every time in football when you have to take this decision for one club. It’s not easy. Football is football, we go ahead and we move forward. This is the first thing, I’m really thankful to Nuno and his staff.”
Paratici was inevitably asked about the incoming Conte and specifically about why Conte had agreed to become head coach now but had been less enthralled in the summer.
Paratici has worked with Conte at Juventus so knows him well and added: “It was not the right time because he was involved emotionally with Inter as it was a long the last two seasons so was not ready. I know Antonio very well. When he says no, it is no. When he says yes, it is yes. That’s it.”
Harry Kane
Since he flirted with a move to Manchester City in the summer transfer window, to say that Kane has struggled for form would be an understatement with just one goal in the Premier League this season and no shots on targets in the last two games. The England striker was singled out for jeers from the Spurs fans during the loss to Manchester United last month. Paratici was keen to state that the club is about more than one player.
He said: ”I think it’s not just about Harry Kane. We are here to work, to achieve our ambitions like a club, as a club, not as personal people.”
Paratici was keen throughout the press conference to stick to what felt like a well-rehearsed script and he was not in the mood to be moved from it.
Transfers
When Conte walked away from talks in the summer there was much said that it was mainly due to his unhappiness with the transfer policy at Tottenham. Chairman Daniel Levy is a notoriously frugal operator whilst Conte likes to bring in top players and believes in spending big to win trophies.
From the outside looking in it would appear that Levy may have softened his stance although when asked if transfers had been discussed, Paratici was quick to say: “Not at all. Because we trust a lot in our players. We are focused to be better, like a club, like a team.”
New Start
Tottenham’s managerial search following the sacking of Jose Mourinho descended into a very public farce but now they have seemingly appointed the man that they wanted all along in Antonio Conte. Fabio Paratici gave a very cool and assured press conference. The next time a Spurs man faces the media it will be Conte himself and Spurs fans will be hoping that he can provide the success and winning mentality that eluded them under Mourinho. It has been said often but this appointment cannot afford to go wrong.
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