'He came back too early' - Cristian Stellini says Tottenham players are stepping up in Antonio Conte's absence
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Published 18/02/2023 at 12:03 GMT
Cristian Stellini insists he isn't enjoying the task of standing in for Antonio Conte after the Tottenham manager returned too soon following gallbladder surgery. Conte was on the touchline for Tuesday's Champions League defeat to AC Milan but has stayed in Italy to recover after rushing back to work. The Spurs players have stepped up and taken responsibility in Conte's absence, Stellini says.
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Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has acknowledged he returned to the touchline too soon after surgery, says his assistant Cristian Stellini, but the players are taking added responsibility in the Italian’s absence.
Conte underwent an operation to remove his gallbladder earlier this month, but was back in the dugout for Spurs’ 1-0 Champions League defeat to AC Milan at San Siro on Tuesday.
However, the club said following the match that the 53-year-old would “remain at his family home to recover from his recent surgery” after he had defied the doctor’s orders to go back to work.
Stellini will now take charge of the north London club in the interim, his first task being a home clash with West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday.
"Antonio is recovering and is a bit upset because he cannot be here with us. But he's fine, physically. We understand he needs to recover from the surgery and now he needs to take his time,” Stellini told Sky Sports.
"We don't know if the pain [he felt during the AC Milan game] came from stress or the small time he took to recover because to stay in charge and live football like Antonio does normally is with passion and maybe this passion brought more pain for him. He understands that he came back too early.
"He is available. We speak about the team and training every day and some decisions we will take together.
"But this time is good only for his recovery because when Antonio is far from his job, he's not happy. He is happier here, working with us and the team. Maybe it's a different type of stress, but he needs to take it easy. I don't have an idea when he will be back, though."
Spurs have had a difficult week, losing 4-1 away to Leicester before their disappointing European setback in Milan.
But Stellini insists that the players are stepping up in their manager’s absence.
"They are focused. In this aspect I feel very good and comfortable because when I look the players in the eyes, I feel they are taking more responsibility because Antonio is not here,” he said.
"They also take care of me because my relationship with them is special, like every assistant manager needs. I can feel that the players want to do it also because they like when we work together.
"It's strange [to step up] because it's a different job. It was really strange to be in charge for one game [vs Marseille], but I had the coach with me. Now it's different because the coach is not here, but I feel Antonio's presence with me.
"I want to say clearly, I'm not alone. We are in charge together, we organise everything together and with all the staff."
Stellini has long been an assistant to Conte, firstly at Juventus in 2011 and later at Inter Milan, before following his compatriot to Tottenham in 2021.
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Antonio Conte, Milan-Tottenham
Image credit: Getty Images
His only experiences as a first-team manager have been as Genoa’s youth team coach and a brief, ill-fated spell in charge of Italian third-tier team Alessandria in 2017.
"My feeling is not to enjoy this; my feeling is to be responsible," he said.
"I feel the pressure. It's a moment that I need to grow as a coach and when you have to take important decisions, you have to feel responsible.
"It's not about me, it's about the club, the fans, the players, our jobs, our lives. It's much more important than my feelings."
Tottenham are fifth in the Premier League standings, two points behind Newcastle.
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