Spurs lack hunger to win trophies

Conte’s No 2 slams mentality after dismal FA Cup exit

ANTONIO CONTE will return to Tottenham tomorrow with stand-in boss Cristian Stellini warning that their attempts to instil a winning mentality at the club have been hindered by problems deeply rooted in the past.

‘It came from a long time ago, not just this season,’ said Stellini as he addressed the dismal nature of Tottenham’s FA Cup exit at the hands of Sheffield United on Wednesday, which he blamed on attitude and lack of hunger.

‘every season, sometimes it’s better and sometimes lower, but every season it is similar so it’s a problem that Tottenham is out in the fifth round of the FA Cup. We have to change this. We want to change this.

When we speak to each other we speak about this and if we want, in the future, we can improve this.’ Tottenham have not won a trophy for 15 years and have lost in the FA Cup fifth round in four of the last five years, knocked out by teams from the Championship in the last two.

‘Sometimes I feel we speak too much about trophies and less about the mentality,’ said Stellini (left). ‘This is the difficult thing. you have to find this hunger inside of you — inside the dressing room, inside the players, the staff, the club. ‘everyone participates to create this kind of atmosphere, to feel how important it is to win games, to win every game.

‘ The mentality we showed in the last game is the reality. The approach was not good, not the mentality that we need.

‘What happened is in the past. I’m not here to analyse what happened in the last 10 years. I’m here to analyse what happens from now into the future. We need to change this.’

Tottenham are back in Premier League action at Wolves today. Conte will address the players by video link from Italy, a routine established since he has been recuperating from surgery to remove his gallbladder on February 1.

he will fly back to London tomorrow and is expected at the training ground immediately to prepare for the second leg of the last-16 Champions League tie against AC Milan on Wednesday. Spurs were defeated 1-0 in the first leg at the San Siro.

‘he feels better,’ said Stellini. ‘he feels like he’s in charge and ready to come back. he cannot wait — his frustration is huge.’