Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has been speaking about what it would mean for him and his players if the team were to qualify for the Champions League
Antonio Conte believes that if Tottenham can qualify for the Champions League it would allow the club to make ‘good decisions for me’.
Spurs currently sit fifth in the Premier League table, just three points behind their fourth-placed north London rivals Arsenal and they are well and truly in the race for a top four spot. Conte was asked whether Harry Kane should stay at Tottenham ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, at the very least to remove the chance of upheaval ahead of a mid-season tournament.
The Spurs boss made it clear with a laugh that he should and said that it is important that the striker has a good end to the season because Champions League qualification would be a important step for everyone at the club.
“I think that my answer is not useful! You’re talking about a player that every manager wants in his own team,” said Conte. “You know there’s a great connection with Harry. He’s a really world-class striker and one of the most important players in the world.
“For sure, yes, (laughs) if I have to decide for him [he should stay]… and it would be very important to have a good end to the season.
“Every single player understands that we are in the right way to become a strong team and are ready to fight for an important target. This is very important.
“Now we have nine games and have to be focused. The players have to be focused to give their maximum.
“To finish in the Champions League would be a great achievement for everybody and allow us to take different decisions and good decisions for me. For sure it will be very important.”
Tottenham were previous Champions League regulars in the past, having finished in the top four in four consecutive seasons under Mauricio Pochettino although recent campaigns have seen them slide down the Premier League table and into the Europa League and subsequently into the Europa Conference League.
Conte had earlier said it would be a miracle if Spurs or Arsenal finished in fourth place ahead of the financially-powerful Manchester United, but now believes Tottenham can get back to where they once were once further improvements are made on the training pitches and in the transfer window.
“I think in this moment in this specific period I’m talking about. In the past Tottenham were a very strong team. I remember them very well,” he said.
“When Leicester won the title, Tottenham were the first one to challenge them. Also when I won with Chelsea, Tottenham were the first team to challenge us. We were scared about them because the other teams were really strong and in that period Tottenham were in a position with the top.
“Now for sure the team has dropped because the team has lost many important players. Also experienced players who played many years who know the club and the environment. Now is a moment you have to try to build again and to go step by step to improve the level and try to be close with the teams that maybe in the past were behind.
“In the past Liverpool were behind Tottenham. Don’t forget Jurgen Klopp before he won with Liverpool, he spent many many years. I remember Liverpool didn’t qualify for the Champions League. It means this league is very difficult.
“Now we understand very well our reality. Not just our reality but the reality of the other top clubs. We need to work very hard, don’t make any mistakes when we go to sign new players to try to improve the team, to make the squad stronger, because in this moment, we are a bit far from the top teams. But in the same way, honestly I’m seeing a lot of improvements over the last part of the season.
“For many aspects, the players are improving. They want to improve their level. I’m seeing this desire. When this happens, it means the team is going better and better.”
Conte says he is now at a stage where he can realistically begin to set targets for the team and also for the future.
“Before, it was a bit difficult to talk about the targets. Don’t forget I arrived in November and the situation wasn’t so good. We worked a lot, but you know very well you can work a lot and you have to give a bit of time to start to see your work on the team,” he explained.
“Before, for me, it was very difficult to put a target on the team and where to finish in the top four. I had to feel this possibility. I know before I didn’t feel this. For this reason it was a bit difficult to speak about targets, that we can win this, this and this.
“I don’t like to promise situations that I don’t believe. You see my face and understand if I’m telling the truth or lie. I don’t like to lie, I prefer to stay in silence, but now I’m seeing a great improvement of my team. For this reason to put a target of fourth place is good. Also for the future, because we have to start to live with the pressure to reach a target, to have ambition.
“I think it’s good to now go in this way because I feel the team can have one, two, ten possibility to reach this target, but we have this possibility. For this reason, we have to push our maximum to try to take this target.
“You know very well it will be very difficult, but, honestly, now I feel this sensation that we can reach this target and for this reason I put this positive pressure on the team. It’s good for the present but also for the future. If you want to be competitive and win trophies, you have to live with the pressure.
“The pressure is to be positive, you have to use this pressure to push you at the maximum level but not let the pressure make your legs heavy.”