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Antonio Conte hit out at Tottenham’s “crazy” expectations after their 2-0 loss to Aston Villa and said the club must sign two players worth £50-70m a season if they are to be serious title contenders.
Spurs suffered their fourth defeat in seven Premier League games on a gloomy New Year’s Day for their supporters at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It was also the seventh game in a row that they have conceded more than once – the first time that has happened since 1988.
The result leaves Tottenham in fifth place, 13 points behind leaders and local rivals Arsenal, who have a game in hand.
Conte then came out fighting, defending Spurs’ performance, despite the fact that they mustered just six shots in 90 minutes and hinted that they need more support in the transfer market if they are to challenge for major honours.
“I keep repeating that last season we created a miracle,” he said of last season’s fourth-place finish.
“It happened, why? Because we played only one competition and we played with 12 or 13 players who were not injured in the last 15 games.
“We play with our best players every game, because we only play in the league. Don’t forget that with three games left, Arsenal have four points from us – and we finish 20 points behind Manchester City.
“We did a miracle, but I understood the situation and then I was very clear with the club [about what was needed] to be a title contender.”
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FREE to watch: Highlights from Aston Villa’s win over Tottenham in the Premier League.
He continued: “I remember very well in the summer, people were talking about Tottenham as title contenders, but in my experience, it’s a bit crazy to see this.
“To be a title contender, to be a team that is ready to fight to win, you need to have a strong foundation, which means having 14 or 15 strong players, with quality, and other young players to develop.
“Every season you can add two players, but two players worth £50m, £60m, £70m. This way, it means you sign important players who can improve the quality and level of your team.
“But it’s a process, man. It’s a process.”
Spurs completed the permanent signings of Richarlison, Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero, Ivan Perisic, Clement Lenglet, Djed Spence and Fraser Forster in the summer for a combined fee of £172m but Conte insists he is also trying to create a winning culture at the club. .
“People who think you come and win,” he said. “It can happen to a team that used to win in the past. But if you’re not used to it, it means you have to create situations.
“That’s why you need time, be patient. I know that the fans are disappointed to be able to say that they have been patient for a long time. I understand. But this is the situation: if you want the truth, I will tell you. the truth.”
Asked if he felt Spurs fans had unrealistic expectations of the team, Conte added: “I don’t have to think about what they want. I know what the reality is.
“I am a coach, I live in the club every day, I know the situation, I know the vision of the club. The club knows very well what I think about the situation.
“The situation is very clear. I continue to work to improve the club, create a strong foundation and then develop.
“At the beginning of the season, I was very clear with the club. I said: ‘Okay, we can be competitive to win, but try to keep improving in the way we can.’
“Because, well, you have to understand there are clubs that can invest £200m, £300m and then other different clubs. [policies]. You have to respect others [policies].
“But this must be very clear to the public, because otherwise we create expectations and it is not positive for the environment to create expectations that, at this time, are unrealistic.”
Antonio Conte during Tottenham’s defeat to Aston Villa
Conte added that Spurs now need to return to the transfer market and “buy strong” so that they can continue to develop the team and avoid further decline.
“I’ve been repeating this since the beginning of the season, but I’m looking forward to it this time,” he said. “Now, we have to buy something strong, strong. Because of the situation we are in, but in this league, you can rush.
“I also spoke to my players and I said, hope will grow, to fight, because from the beginning to the end, the road is not long, you can slip quickly if you are not prepared and humble.
“If you ask me if I’m scared, I’m not scared. I believe in my work, I believe in my players.
“But don’t ask me about things I can’t promise you because it’s just to create illusions and give you dreams. But now you have to be realistic.”
“Because if you are realistic, and understand the situation, you will face time in the right way.”
Conte’s message to Spurs fans: I have never said we can be competitive, we are building
Talk to Sky SportsConte said: “The message is always the same [to the fans]: I never said about our team that this season we can be competitive, fight to win. From the beginning of the season I said that we created, we built, we tried to build a strong foundation because if you want to be a title contender and you want to try to win during the season, you have to have solidarity. basic.
“A solid base means you have to have a team, a squad, 13, 14 strong players, then every year you put one, two important players to improve quality. And for this reason, it means investing £60m, £70m, £80m. With this way you increase the quality. Otherwise, if you enter every season do not spend …
“At this moment we have to create a solid base. We have to find 13, 14 players. We try to do this and then start every season to add important players, not normal players. Normal players do not make a difference. We need players who make a difference. If not, you have to develop young players, then wait, you have to have patience. The situation at this moment.
“I always speak the truth in my life. I don’t want to create illusions. The club knows very well what I think and the club 100 percent, they think the same. Maybe it’s good to send this message outside through the media because maybe someone thinks that we could be a title contender.”
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