What's the squad news for Sunday?
It is a derby, it is an important match. We came from two difficult game and we want to change this situation. We want to play a great game, we want to win and we pick the best team to try to win.
No new injuries?
No, no new injuries. We have a problem with [Ryan] Sessegnon which was clear from the last game that Sessegnon was not in the squad. Now at the moment he is not available and not any news.
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How is Conte, will he have a proper rest this time and give you more authority?
I have the same authority before he came back but since the moment he came back after two days Antonio's feeling was that maybe he underestimate the procedure after the surgery. Coming close to the (Leicester) game, the stress, the tension he lives normally before the game create some problems. When they check with the doctor, with the club, they spoke for a long time about this and the decision was this. He needs to take it easy again. He will come back soon but not like he hope.
He's had a tough time this year, is there a feeling he might get an extended period away or will he want to be back?
Also yesterday we have a call every day, many times in a day, probably three times per day and every time he wants to come back and he repeat every day, 'I want to come back Cristian, I'm sorry but how was training, tomorrow we have to organise something particular, we have to organise the team, what do you feel, what do you think,' but he wants to come back. That is every time in his sentences.
Facing West Ham, how tough a game will this be?
Against West Ham it is every time a tough game because at first it is a derby and they are a good team. They have great skill in some situations because they are a team that never concede at set-pieces, they are a team strong at set-pieces and strong in the counter-attack. They are a team strong because last season was a great season and they didn't change many players. We have to be careful because they are a good team and it is a derby. That creates a good feeling for us but also a good feeling for them so it is an important game and we have to respect.
What type of reaction are you expecting from your players?
I want to see the reaction from the start. The first minute will be very important for us because we have to show the desire to play the best game we can.
Back to Conte, how long has he been advised to stay away for?
Health is more important than football and this is the reason why the club, Antonio and the doctors decide to take this responsibility and leave Antonio in Italy after the last game. We don't know the time. He needs to rest. The doctor thinks about the timing and they have an ideal but it is really a feeling from Antonio.
He explained very well that surgery was not an easy surgery. It was a surgery with emergency. The inflammation was big and maybe they underestimate this situation. He needs time to be 100 per cent and Antonio not at 100 per cent is not Antonio. That creates stress and overstress and this is dangerous after a surgery like that.
Son Heung-min has been struggling for form, would you leave a big player like that out?
Every time when you pick the team, you have to leave someone on the bench and normally it is not important the player you have to maybe leave on the bench, it is about the team that has to play. It is important also that some important players stay on the bench their effort when they come in. This is very important.
We have experience with Sonny, we have experience with Richarlison, we have experienced with Deki Kulusevski from the bench they change the game. This is normal and it is normal for everyone, not because you have an important player he has to play compulsory. If he need to play sometimes, also he needs to rest because we have a tough fixture (list). We have a tough moment and we play many times. Sometimes you have to change the player and also to perform better.
After their excellent performances in the San Siro, is it a difficult decision over which of Pape Matar Sarr and Oliver Skipp has to be dropped to bring Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg back in?
We will take this decision thinking about the game. The details of the game will be so important, so the decision we will take is about the game and the characteristics of the opponent and what we need from our players and the type of game we expect to play.
There's a growing affection from the Spurs fans towards you, especially as you're winning games in charge, is that a strange feeling for you to be in the spotlight and getting that affection?
It's a bit strange for me because normally the assistant coach works behind the spotlight. Not many people know very well the assistant. This is a strange thing for me. I repeat that I'm not alone though, there are many people who work with me and they push the team to work well and everyone to another level.
Ryan Mason was important every time and will be important this weekend. He is important for me and the team and all the staff, [Costantino] Coratti, [Stefano] Bruno and [Marco] Savorani for the keepers. We work together.
What we are learning now is that when there is Antonio, Antonio takes responsibility. He has a great character and takes many times the responsibility. He asks the assistants 'what do you think, what do you think', but the responsibility is on him.
Now we have take decisions together and we work more like a team. Instead when Antonio is here, sometimes it's Antonio that will take the responsibility and decisions and sometimes also without explaining to us why.
There were big expectations for Yves Bissouma, now he is injured. How is he taking it all?
We have to wait with Bissouma because it's a stress fracture that came from overload so he needs time. We are so sad for Biss because now without Rodrigo, he could be an important player but in football this happens.
We were happy about Bissouma's effort and what he did in the pitch. We knew very well from the start of the season that a player like Bissouma would need time to understand our idea and what we want on the pitch, to understand being at a different club, a different level and in Champions League. It's not the same. He needed time, he took his time and we were happy with Biss and now we are sad because we have no Biss with us but we have to accept this.
As you have less fit midfielders and defenders, but plenty of attackers, are you considering changing formation from the 3-4-3 to fit the players you have available?
If you are thinking to change the formation, I don't know if you're thinking to change to a back four we have only two or three full-backs. Nothing changed, this is our shape. It's not about the strikers you have. We have the same full-backs and the same wing-backs.
We have to adapt at the moment and probably in the future some players will have to play in a position they are not usually used in and we will do this, accept this and we will work with the players to be at their best.
Is Richarlison itching to get into the team and are you trying to find a way to fit him into the team?
Yes, this is our expectation from Richy. We were very unlucky with him because in the World Cup we've missed Richy now for a long time. We missed Richy, in the best moment we had him at the start of the season he was a played who changed our game. He changed the pace of the game during the game and when he started. He scored two goals in the Champions League and that was important.
We've lost him sometimes and we have to accept it and work to have him back at the top and his performance now I think could be good.
Is he 100% fit now?
Yes, absolutely.
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