Talking after the 0-0 draw with the Serie A champions, Conte mentioned: “I have a contract about to expire and let’s see how the season ends. Maybe they can send me away even earlier. Perhaps the expectations were higher and [the club] may be disappointed.”
The Italian is extensively anticipated to half methods with Spurs in the summertime on the finish of his contract and their elimination from the FA Cup and Champions League within the area of every week raised the chance that he might go away even sooner.
Spurs have begun succession planning, with managing director Fabio Paratici drawing up a shortlist of replacements for Conte.
However requested forward of Saturday’s go to to Southampton if he nonetheless feared the sack earlier than his deal is up, Conte mentioned: “[My comment] was a provocation, you understand, about my future. A provocation, a joke, ‘una battuta’.
“When you tell something, to joke. You [the media] asked me about the future and I said to you that you don’t know what happens. Because maybe the club can sack me.
“But I repeat: I don’t think the club is thinking this. The club sees everyday what me and my staff, we are doing for this club. It was only an answer about my future.”
Requested if he had been given assurances by the membership that he would stay in publish till at the least the top of the season, Conte added: “I think there is not one club that can tell the manager, ‘You stay here until the end of the season’.
“Football is really strange. you don’t know what happens tomorrow. But I repeat: in my opinion we try in every moment to do everything, me and my staff.
“And I think the club appreciates this. Because if you continue to ask me if I sign a new contract, it means that maybe the club appreciates what we are doing, the work that we doing, in this one year and a half.”
With 11 video games to play, Spurs are well-placed to match final season’s fourth-place end and Conte believes there are seven groups competing for 2 spots within the high 4: Manchester United, Spurs, Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton, Brentford and Chelsea.
He added that the struggles of sixth-placed Liverpool, who path Spurs by six factors with a recreation in hand, this season underline the power of the Premier League, which the Italian says will quickly turn into “like the NBA”; in different phrases, an ultra-competitive division, which anybody is able to profitable.
Antonio Conte believes Liverpool’s struggles present how sturdy the Premier League is
/ AFP through Getty Pictures“Don’t forget that Liverpool last season were on a fantastic run to win everything,” Conte mentioned. “They lost the Champions League Final, finished 2nd in Premier League with one point less than Manchester City. They won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
“We’re talking about a big, big team used to winning.
“Liverpool’s situation underlines the difficulty of Premier League. I read that [Manchester City boss Pep] Guardiola said in every game this season you risk dropping points. Because every team is going to improve the squad. Look at Nottingham Forest, they have changed 22 players from last season.
“Every team tries to improve, to be strong. I think that Premier League is going to become the NBA in the future. You have to be prepared, otherwise you risk playing without silverware.”
Conte has no contemporary harm issues forward of the journey to all-time low Saints, with membership captain Hugo Lloris (knee), Rodrigo Bentancur (ACL), Yves Bissouma (ankle) and Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) nonetheless sidelined.
Fraser Forster will proceed to deputise for Lloris in opposition to his former membership however Conte says the Frenchman will return to the aspect when he’s match, regardless of the understudy’s strong shows in objective.
“I think he [Forster] was a fantastic signing for the club, honestly,” Conte mentioned. “He’s showing he deserves credit. Hugo is our ‘keeper but before coming back he has to get well. We don’t force the situation because Fraser is playing well and it won’t be good for Hugo or us.
“We’re really happy with Fraser but at the same time when Hugo is ready he will be our ‘keeper.”
