By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) – Antonio Conte insists he is happy at Tottenham Hotspur and committed to the club’s project despite comments at the weekend apparently criticising the quality of his squad.
Tottenham were booed off after a 2-0 home defeat by Aston Villa on New Year’s Day, a result that left them in fifth place after only two wins from their last six Premier League games.
After that loss, Conte said pre-season talk of a title challenge were ‘crazy’ and insisted that fans needed to be realistic about the prospects of winning silverware.
Tottenham urgently need an uplift in form, starting on Wednesday at Crystal Palace, if they are not to lose touch with the teams also competing for a top-four finish.
“I am happy but I always say to you I am happy. I want to stay here. I am enjoying my time in Tottenham, I am enjoying my work in Tottenham,” Conte told reporters.
“But it doesn’t mean I cannot tell you what we are doing. We are trying to create a base foundation. It is difficult for me every day to repeat the same thing and for you not to understand. I am happy to stay here because I am at a modern club, I have a good relationship with the players and I have a good relationship with the club.
“Sometimes I go home and think I have to study much more English because I am not good to transfer my thoughts to you.”
Conte has said he performed a miracle to get Tottenham into the top four last season, and the additions of the likes of Ivan Perisic and Richarlison bolstered the squad in the summer.
Despite being in and around the top four all season, Tottenham have often laboured with Conte’s rigid system at times at odds with the players at his disposal.
“Now I am really committed for this club and for Tottenham. Then there is this project and I signed a contract with this club to accept this project and try to build and help the club,” the Italian said.
“During this process it can happen 1,000 things. The club can sack the manager or there are different visions, different situations.”
Swedish forward Dejan Kulusevski could return against Palace having missed the Villa defeat with a minor injury, but midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur remains out after being injured at the World Cup.
“Kulusevski is not a serious injury but you know we need to monitor it day by day and tomorrow and then we take the best decision,” he said.
Another worry for Conte is the form of Son Heung-min, who looks a shadow of the player that was joint top scorer in the Premier League last season with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
The 30-year-old has scored in only one Premier League game this season — a hat-trick against Leicester City — and is clearly struggling for form and confidence.
“Son for sure is struggling to find the best form and after the injury he had against (Olympique de) Marseille he struggled a bit,” Conte said.
“Also the World Cup he didn’t score but we are talking about a player that if we put him in discussion, we are in trouble because Sonny and (Harry) Kane are the two most important players, with (Hugo) Lloris.
“If we have doubts about them, we are in trouble.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
