MANCHESTER: Antonio Conte has called on Premier League owners and executives to speak up rather than leave managers to face the media alone when trouble strikes their clubs.
The Tottenham boss has come under fire from frustrated fans during a difficult spell that threatens to derail his side’s bid to finish in the top four.
Beaten 2-0 by north London rivals Arsenal on Sunday, fifth-placed Tottenham are five points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, who also have a game in hand in the race to qualify for the Champions League.
Tottenham face a trip to champions Manchester City on Thursday, with another defeat certain to turn up the heat on Conte.
Asked if it would help if other senior figures from the club, including chairman Daniel Levy, spoke to the press, Conte said: “In England, there is a bad habit that there is only the coach to speak and to explain.
“I have never seen the medical department come here to explain why this player is having difficulty to recover.
“It’s the same also — I have never seen the club or sporting director come here to explain the strategy and vision of the club.”
Former Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan boss Conte highlighted the differences with the situation in Serie A.
Fabio Paratici, now Tottenham’s managing director of football, spoke to the press while at Juventus alongside Conte, but does not talk regularly in England.
“In Italy for example, before every game there is a person from the club who has to go before the media and answer every question,“ Conte said.
“For us, it could be better. Because otherwise, every time there is only one face to explain a situation which I think is better for the club to explain.
“In Italy, it’s different — the person from the club during the game week speaks and explains many situations. If only the coach speaks there are sometimes misunderstandings.
“I think it would be good to have the club present in the media and to speak. Not every week but at least every 15 days or once a month.”
Despite his suggestion, Conte knows Levy rarely speaks to the media and the Italian said he had no plans to ask the club to implement his idea.
“I am not going to ask anything,“ he said. “In this type of situation, it’s a risk to speak always to explain this type of situation.
“The coach has to stay silent and accept the situation.” –AFP