The Marine: Gian Piero Ventrone
(Picture: Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)Tottenham and Italian football are in mourning after the sudden death of fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone, a long-time ally of Antonio Conte and a key member of his staff.
Ventrone, who was nicknamed 'the Marine' for his lung-busting drills, was 61. He passed away after a battle with fulminant leukaemia, according to reports in Italy.
In a statement, Spurs said: "As loveable off the pitch as he was demanding on it, Gian Piero quickly became a hugely popular figure with players and staff. He will be greatly missed by everyone at the Club and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this impossibly sad time."
Ventrone was one of Italian football's most colourful characters, spending ten years at Juventus to 2004 and working with Conte as a player and later head coach.
We are devastated to announce that fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone has passed away.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 6, 2022
He will be greatly missed by everyone at the Club and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this impossibly sad time.
He also had spells at Catania, JS Suning, GZ Evergrande and AC Ajaccio before reuniting with Conte in north London in November.
At Juve, Ventrone’s approach was summed up by three ominous mottos – ‘Work today to run tomorrow’; ‘Die but finish’; and ‘Victory belongs to the strong’ – and among his techniques was “the bell of shame”, a bell the players had to ring when they could no longer keep going.
He also believed in playing music during drills, including Wagner’s iconic ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ when the exercises became particularly intense. Rumour has it that Gianluca Vialli became so enraged with Ventrone, he once locked him in a cupboard and called the police.
Despite his uncompromising approach to his work, he was a much-loved figure with the Spurs squad.
Matt Doherty said in the summer: "It’s all love for Gian Piero, actually. Normally when you have a fitness coach like that who is running you ragged you start to not like him but that’s not the case. We all absolutely love him. We’ve got so much respect for him that we do whatever he tells us to.”
Son Heung-min, after scoring a hat-trick against Leicester, recently credited Ventrone with helping him through a tough start to the season.
"He is a killer but I have a really, really good relationship with Gian Piero,” he said. "His English is not perfect, sometimes he is coming with his phone and translating into English from Italian. It means a lot. Not as football-wise, I think life-wise he gives me so much advice, which I am really grateful.
"He has been so helpful, giving me always a big hug in tough times and even great times he has always been next to me and every staff. Even today before we left the training ground, the hotel, we had a couple of minutes of having a nice conversation which made me really comfortable and really grateful."
Ryan Sessegnon credited Ventrone with transforming his fitness over the summer.
“He’s good. Obviously, he’s very good. But he’s a killer — seriously. Very intense," Sessegnon said. "The more physical players, where he knows he can push you, he will be on you."
Ventrone will be a significant loss to Conte, whose press conference this afternoon has been cancelled in light of his friend’s passing.
