Tottenham: Why the bond between workaholics Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici can breathe life into Spurs

Jack Rosser @JackRosser_3 November 2021

Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici have been here before.

When Conte was taking his first steps in top-level management as the new Juventus coach in May 2011, he found the club looking on at the success of others following two successive seventh-place finishes in Serie A.

As sporting director in Turin, Paratici had appointed Conte to jolt Juventus back to life to get them competing for major titles again as they rebuilt following the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal.

Working together, and alongside general manager Beppe Moratta, Conte and Paratici led Juventus to their first Italian title in nine years and then another two in the two following seasons.

AFP via Getty Images

Few expect such a flurry of silverware at Tottenham, but the task at hand is certainly one they have faced and overcome in the past.

The two men wear their heart on their sleeve. Conte is famed for bounding around on the touchline in a frenzy of passion and rage and Paratici is hardly a silent observer on the sidelines at Spurs, often seen leaping from his seat behind the home bench.

Their passion for their work may often lead to clashes but their workaholic nature fires the relationship.

Paratici’s phone is never off and the Spurs director has previously arranged meetings in deserted restaurants to sign players at 1am.

Similarly, Conte is happy to put his players through video sessions which run beyond two hours and revealed in an interview during his time as Chelsea manager that he was considering asking for a bed to be installed at the club’s training ground so he could stay over after long sessions at work.

Conte should find Tottenham’s Spurs Lodge rather welcoming in that sense.

The 52-year-old was Paratici’s primary target when he took up his role at Spurs in the summer, but with his friend’s foot only just in the door and Harry Kane looking to be on his way out of it, Conte went cold on the idea ofTottenham.

Now, with Kane still in place and Paratici able to give Conte the lowdown on the Tottenham squad and tell him exactly where the faults are, just as he did in Turin, it feels like the perfect storm.

Paratici once said he did not want to think of a Juventus without Conte, Tottenham fans will be hoping the Italian can have a similar impact at their club.

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