Antonio Conte says he will not stand for his players dodging tackles in a bid to avoid injury ahead of the World Cup, warning: “That’s how you get hurt.”
The unique mid-season tournament is now less than a month away, and the risk of missing out through injury sustained in the midst of a hectic club schedule is becoming a reality for some unfortunate players.
Yesterday, Liverpool’s Diogo Jota was ruled out of the Portugal squad with a calf injury, while Chelsea right-back Reece James is facing a major uphill battle to recover from a knee problem to join up with England.
As the tournament draws ever closer, even relatively minor problems could see players struggling to be fit in time, but ahead of tonight’s meeting with Manchester United Conte has told his Tottenham side they cannot afford to be anything other than at full-throttle.
“You can’t know what will happen,” said the Italian. “We have to live with this situation, every club has to live with this situation. But I’m sure about this: if a player plays with worries about getting an injury, for sure it will happen. Players have to play in a normal way and they have to know that they have to give 100 per cent in every game.
“Also because I wouldn’t accept if I see one player to avoid a tackle or think about the World Cup. For sure, it’s not my problem, because I have a group of players who, first of all, are really top men and then also top players.”
Earlier this week, Conte was able to offer a positive update on Brazil forward Richarlison, who was in tears at the idea that his World Cup dream might be over after suffering a calf injury in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Everton.
The problem is not as serious as first feared and Richarlison could even return to action for Spurs before leaving for Qatar, but Conte, himself part of the Italy side that reached the final of the 1994 World Cup, understands his players’ concerns.
“For sure, after the game [Richarlison] was really worried,” Conte said. “There is only one month and the World Cup is coming. For this reason, I think every single player in this period, if he has an injury, could be really worried. To play in the World Cup is the dream of every single player.
“For this reason I’m happy, especially for the player. For me, for the club, it’s okay, but I know and understand the importance of this competition for the players and to know that he can go to play makes me happy, because after the game I went home really sad to see him really worried.”
Tottenham could have at least a dozen players in Qatar, including England captain Harry Kane, winner of the Golden Boot in Russia four years ago and central to the Three Lions’ hopes under Gareth Southgate.
Conte, however, says Kane is the last player displaying any pre-tournament reservations over the risk of injury.
“I can tell you that Harry wants to play every game,” he added. “A player that wants to play every game is not scared of injury or about missing the World Cup. Harry, like the other players, is really focused on Tottenham.”
