Tottenham manager Antonio Conte is sardonic yet amused with reports emerging rampantly in France and Italy earlier this week implying the Italian was agent provocateur pitching himself to the PSG top brass as he was allegedly jeen to replace Mauricio Pochettino at the Ligue 1 club.<\/p>\n
The Spurs boss was immediately dismissive of the irresponsible speculation trumped up by certain quarters linking him with the Paris St Germain job as \u201cfake news\u201d that is unfair to him, the clubs implicated and for his players at Spurs.<\/p>\n
Reports having broken through in France and Italy earlier this week when read in between the lines actually implied Conte was self-centered and merely interested in advancing himself and had moved to replace Mauricio Pochettino at the Parc des Princes club.<\/p>\n
Conte, still with a 12 month tenure left on his contract, has been consistent in his refusal to commit his long-term future to Spurs, but insists the latest round of speculation is not true.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cObviously I think that it\u2019s good that other clubs appreciate my work. This is one thing. But the truth is that I don\u2019t like when people try to invest news \u2013 only to speak, only to create problems.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not right, not fair for me, for the clubs involved and for my players.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso because we\u2019re really focused on these five games to get a fantastic result for us. I repeat, this type of situation makes me smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think that also the people that want to tell something about this have to show respect for all the people involved in this situation, and not invent fake news and tell a lot of lies.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this situation, who works in football \u2013 players or managers \u2013 know very well that at this point of the season, a lot of fake news starts to go out.\u201d<\/p>\n
The honorable Italian gaffer has no desire for this issue to be a distraction for the club in their push for Champions League qualification as Spurs are two points behind Arsenal with five games to go and Conte has urged for a joint, concerted effort to get them over the line.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this moment our fans, me, the players, the club, the fans we need to be focused, we need to be concentrated on an important target for us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a big opportunity to try to get a place in the Champions League.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a big opportunity for us because no one can imagine to stay and fight for this target in this league now in this moment. In the past it was different, but now you know very well what I said in the past that it would be a miracle to get this achievement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are doing something special for the situation we faced this season. I spoke with my players and its the same with our fans, they have to continue to support us and push us until the end.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this situation, who works in football – players or managers – know very well that at this point of the season, a lot of fake news starts to go out.\u201d <\/strong>Antonio Conte<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>\u201cWe\u2019re living this dream. We have to continue until the end to get a place in the Champions League. It\u2019s right to underline that we are fighting for a target that wasn\u2019t in our mind at the start of the season.<\/p>\n \u201cFor this reason I want to push everybody at the club to have great enthusiasm, great passion, our fans to stay with us and to back us from the start until the end.<\/p>\n \u201cNow it would be very important to be focused and not listen to fake news and the people that for sure want to create problems for the environment.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to play these five games and then you know, because I answer a lot of times, that at the end of the season in a private way I will speak with my club and I will see the best solution.<\/p>\n Sergio Reguilon will miss Spurs\u2019 game with Leicester (Tim Goode\/PA)<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re working very hard and my players know very well we\u2019re very focused. We\u2019re speaking a lot about this opportunity.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to live this situation with passion, enthusiasm and joy. I repeat, we deserve to stay there and to fight for a place in the Champions League. A place in Champions League is not easy for no one.<\/p>\n \u201cTo stay there, we need to enjoy this situation. For this reason, I repeat our fans have to stay with us at every moment. Positive and negative moments. We deserve to fight until the end and have a big push from our fans.\u201d<\/p>\n Spurs will be gearing up for Sunday\u2019s game against Leicester.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"