Antonio Conte's assistant, Cristian Stellini, has veered off script by insisting they are confident of staying at Tottenham for a “long time” and dismissing the importance of the head coach's contract.
Conte has repeatedly refused to commit to Spurs beyond the end of his current deal, which expires at the end of the season, and has issued a series of threats to walk away from the club if he is not completely convinced by the board's ambition and “vision” - including after the New Year's Day defeat to Aston Villa.
