Antonio: “I was lucky to find this group of players”
Fri 20 May 2022, 17:15|
Tottenham Hotspur
Antonio Conte has paid tribute to the squad as we prepare for a crucial Premier League finale at Norwich City on Sunday (4pm).
We’ll step out at Carrow Road knowing a point will be good enough to secure fourth place and Champions League qualification.
Antonio joined us on 2 November. At the time, we were ninth in the Premier League. Unbeaten in his first nine league matches, we climbed up to fifth, but back-to-back losses against Chelsea, Southampton and Wolves knocked us back down to eighth in February. We recovered with a stunning win at City, but then lost to Burnley, and stayed eighth.
Since then, we’ve won nine out of 13, with three wins and a draw in our last four taking us back into fourth, two points ahead of Arsenal, who we beat in a crucial north London derby last week.
Speaking to Spurs TV after training on Friday, Antonio told us: “It’s a big achievement to be in this position and to play the last game of the season with the possibility of getting into the Champions League.
“It means that we did a really great job. But we have to finish this job. Now, everything is in our hands, and it would be a pity not to get that place in the Champions League.”
Asked what had impressed him most since his arrival, Antonio responded: “I’ve been impressed with the improvement of every single player, in many aspects, not only technical and tactical, but also the mentality.
“I always say, I was lucky to find this group of players, because from the first day they showed me great commitment and desire to improve and to go another step. When a manager finds this situation, he must be pleased. To see these great improvements is the greatest satisfaction for me.”
