Tottenham defender Eric Dier launched a shrouded dig at former boss Jose Mourinho on Sunday afternoon as Spurs defeated Burnley to bolster their top-four hopes.
Harry Kane's late first-half penalty against the Clarets saw the north London side claim three points and move into the Champions League places with just one game of the season remaining.
It is a remarkable turnaround for Spurs, with the side having languished down in mid-table earlier this season. The bond between players and management appeared to have soured beyond repair during Jose Mourinho's tenure ahead of the Portuguese's sacking. It appears that the same cannot be said under the Italian.
Speaking after the final whistle against the Clarets, Dier hailed the impact of Antonio Conte since his appointment back in November. "Coming off the Arsenal game in the past, if you look at the last Burnley game away from home, we beat Man City away a couple of days before and then we lose away to Burnley," he said to BT Sport. "We've been making steps in the right direction and today was another one.
"I think that comes down to the manager and his influence over us and us feeding off that and trying to do what he wants from us. It's a step in the right direction.
"We've been improving constantly under him and I think the results have come with that and there is still so much space for us to improve with him."
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Whilst Dier was quick to praise the work that Conte has managed to do in north London having been named as Nuno Espirito Santo’s permanent replacement, there is doubt over the Italian’s long-term future with the club. He only penned a deal until the summer of 2023 and reports have suggested that he could quit before long.
French giants Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with a move, with former Spurs man Mauricio Pochettino on unsteady ground at the Parc des Princes despite having claimed the Ligue 1 title. Dier has suggested that the bond between the players and the current head coach is unique and has made clear his feelings on an extended stay for Conte in north London.
The defender said: "That's above my pay grade. I could speak for the group of players, I think the manager would agree as well. I feel like the relationship between this group and the manager is something special and I really want to continue to build that relationship.
"As I said there’s so much room for improvement for the group of players with this manager. It would be a real shame for it to end now."
In the short term, Conte will be hoping to earn Spurs a place back in the Champions League. Now with a two-point buffer over north London rivals Arsenal, they have to win their final match of the season against Norwich City, whilst hoping that the Gunners drop points against Newcastle United on Monday, as well as versus Everton on the final day of the campaign.
