Cristian Stellini has insisted Tottenham are not in the grip of a crisis in the wake of Antonio Conte’s departure and Fabio Paratici’s limbo situation.
Stellini will take the helm for the first time as acting head coach in Monday’s Premier League trip to Everton, insisting he has departed boss Conte’s full blessing to take charge.
The 48-year-old addressed the full Tottenham squad for the first time today, to explain the full situation around Conte’s Spurs departure.
Stellini has refused to consider the idea of taking the manager’s job permanently, claiming it would be vain of him to covet the position.
Conte left Tottenham on Monday after 16 months in north London, while football director Paratici’s future remains in doubt due to a worldwide FIFA ban that Spurs will appeal.
“It’s been absolutely a bit chaotic, but everyone has had to take a decision, and that was taken for the best of everyone,” said Stellini.
“It’s not a club in crisis, absolutely not, because everyone has taken the decision for the best.
“We have to be compact, we have to stick together, and go ahead and continue and move on, and play the match.
“Because for us it’s important to play matches, try to win matches, show our desire, this is what we do normally.
“We are focused on the pitch, this is our job – we are not confused, we are focused on our job.”
Stellini has stayed at Spurs to take the interim job, stepping out of his mentor Conte’s shadow.
Conte’s rant after Spurs’ 3-3 draw at Southampton on March 18 ultimately proved his undoing, with the combustible coaching losing his cool once too often.
“The decision was taken from everyone. Antonio is good, so everyone took the decision together for the best of the club,” said Stellini.
“My relationship with Antonio is still the same, still very close, nothing has changed between me and him.
“And I have to say thanks to him also, because I improved a lot in my career until now. And why I improved is because of Antonio.”
Tottenham have 10 league games to go, knowing full well form and results must improve to secure an all-important top-four finish.
“The only next step is to work hard for the next 10 games, that’s what I’m focused on,” said Stellini.
“And nothing has to change in my mind. I’m not here for vanity, I’m here to do my job.
“This is not the time to ask for advice from Antonio either. The advice I have is what I have learned already.
“We met the players this morning for the first time all together.
“It was important to speak together, everyone needed to be clarified, and I needed to clarify all the situation we had in the last week.
“We were in contact during that last week, the players were also focused obviously on what happened here but they were away with national teams.
“I felt the players are ready to be together, to fight together like a proper team.
“I see the right attitude, I see we are compact, the players stick together with me and all the staff.”
