CONTE’S HELLUVA BAD LOSER
IT would not matter if Tottenham were up against Morecambe or Manchester City today, Antonio Conte admits a defeat would have the same devastating impact on him.
The Spurs boss leads his side into one of those games from which there is nothing to gain other than safe passage into the FA Cup fourth round – and much to lose if they get beaten by a League One outfit. He said: “Everybody, who knows me very well, knows I hate to lose.
“It’s difficult for me to accept defeat and, for this reason, I try every day to ask for the best commitment from myself and I try to transfer this to my players because I hate defeat.
“But there are moments you have to accept a defeat.
“You can’t see me happy after a defeat, though, it’s a moment I will be very sad and then, after 24 hours or 48 hours, the mood is improved.
But this is my strength, to not accept defeat and to try to do everything in my work to avoid this.”
Conte will balance the demands of the famous old competition with keeping players fresh enough to maintain a course for a top-six or even top-four Premier League finish.
He added: “It is very difficult to make promises to our fans because I like to tell the truth and be realistic.
“It doesn’t mean I’m not positive because I always think positively and, when I signed for Tottenham, I thought always in a positive way.
“But I know that in England the situation is you have to fight against really top, top teams.
“Sometimes it is like another sport if you compare a game here and a game in other countries, when it comes to difficulty, intensity, the quality of the players.
“And it’s great because you can compare and test yourself in the best league.”