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Football London
Football London
Sport
Alasdair Gold & Rob Guest

Every word Antonio Conte said on his wing-backs, what finally happened, Kane and Kulusevski

What did you make of the performance from your team today, especially the wing-backs?

For the first time I have seen my mark about this system, to create with the wing-back and the other wing back to score. This is a mark of my system, my formation.

This is the first time. It means the work is starting to work.

It was a good performance for us in a very difficult stadium against a strong team that is very difficult to play against.

I remember very well my first game for Tottenham against Leeds and we struggled a lot. We were losing 1-0 and came back to win 2-1 but honestly at the end of the game I think Leeds deserved much more in the first game when we played at home.

Today we played a really good game, good performance, good football but what I wanted to see today was the right spirit, the right character, the right desire to fight, to win the ball, win duels against a team that in this situation are masters.

They go and press a lot, they have duels in every area, every zone of the pitch. Today I asked this of my players. I wanted to see answers not only about football aspects. I wanted to see improvements in this aspect, which in my opinion are very important.

Usually my teams are strong, not only on the pitch to play football, they are strong mentally, strong in their desire, their spirit. The opponent who has to play against us has to know this.

We are working also in this aspect and today I ask for this answer, especially after the Burnley defeat.

We lost a game because the opponent showed more desire than us. Today I asked for big answers from my players and they gave me them.

Three days on from your post-match comments, how are you feeling about your future at Tottenham?

My words were very clear, very clear, because I repeat I am a coach that for me is not enough to play the game and to enjoy football, to come back in England, to enjoy playing in the best league in the world, I am a coach who wants to enjoy football but at the same time create something important to be competitive, to fight and win.

I think I want this. My words were very clear and there are many coaches that want only to enjoy, stay in England and play in this league and to enjoy the environment.

I want to match that, enjoying football and at the same time to feel the possibility to be competitive and to fight with my players. I think we're doing a great job in these four months because many, many situations have changed at the club, at the training ground, with the players.

But for sure I am a person that my demanding is very high because when you want to be competitive, you want to win, your demanding has to be very high to improve players in many aspects.

Sometimes I use soft words, sometimes I use strong words but with only one target to improve, to improve in many aspects. I think this group of players every day show me great commitment but they know this is not enough. We have to continue to improve in many aspects.

Today I have seen great desire, great compactness, great will to fight together in every zone of the pitch. This has to be a starting point for us and not only an episodic game.

Kane and Son broke the Premier League record, how important are they to you?

You know very well the importance. Harry's performance today was incredible, with the ball. But I want to underline, without the ball. Many times I have seen him to run and follow the defenders to tackle and win the ball.

When you have your best player doing this on the pitch it is a fantastic example for the other players. I have seen a great unity and solidity, not only on the football aspect but also the mental aspect.

If we improve in this aspect we can become a strong team. I want to be the coach of a strong team. In the past the characteristic of my teams have always been difficult to play against, not only in the football aspect, but in the spirit and desire. I want my players to be warriors and our opponent has to feel this.

For this reason sometimes I use soft words, sometimes I go strong with the environment, with the people that work with me. I am demanding to myself a lot. For this reason my demands to the others have to be the same.

Kulusevski was good again, what have you made of his performances?

I was very clear when I signed Bentancur and Kulusevski. Two perfect players for the club, young talented players to develop. Kulusevski is a player who is only 21 years old and in these four games he could have scored in every game.

I think he is showing that he is a fantastic player for the present but also he if he continues in this way he can become a really important player.

He is strong physically, good technically, he has no fear of the opponent or the tackle. It is a good sign, with Harry and Son, also Lucas Moura and Bergwijn, offensively we are good and I am happy for this.

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