The transformation in Antonio Conte's attitude towards his Tottenham Hotspur future is like night and day.
Last season the Italian was avoiding all talk about what comes next and making it very clear to anyone that would listen that he would be the one to decide what the future held at the end of the campaign. There was always a sense that the Italian felt he was better than Spurs and he was almost doing them a favour in working with them.
Six months on, after leading Tottenham into fourth place and a return to the Champions League, the use of the words 'they' and 'the club' have long since become 'we' and 'us' and a frequently smiling Conte constantly speaks about the future and seemingly his part in it.
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Those around the Italian say he seems more happy and settled than ever before at the north London club and that spilled into his comments this week. He duly slapped down links to his old side Juventus in his first press conference since the reports emerged back in his homeland. Those around him have suggested that a return to Turin was not something the former Inter Milan and Chelsea boss was even remotely contemplating.
Conte laughed before saying: "It's incredible that in this period and I think this is disrespectful for the Juventus coach and disrespectful for me [when] working for Tottenham. We've just started the season.
"Many times I spoke about this topic and I always said to you I'm happy and enjoying my time with Tottenham. Then we have the whole season to find the best solution for the club and for me, and for sure, I'm enjoying the time working for Tottenham, to work for Tottenham, with these players.
"I have a great relationship with the owner and [Fabio] Paratici. I don't see a problem for the future. Now it's important to be focused. We signed a contract because both parties agree to sign this contract. I don't see a problem in this moment and I don't want in the future to listen to someone speak about this because it's disrespectful to the other coach and to me."
Spurs have an option to extend Conte's contract by another year until the summer of 2024 but there have been suggestions that a new deal might be looked at thanks to the Italian's huge impact on the club, both on and off the pitch.
Team leaders Hugo Lloris and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg have spoken this week about Conte's constant need to wring higher levels out of everyone at the club. Just when they think they have worked towards something, he demands that bit more, mentally and physically.
Conte values himself highly and that's the mark of a man who has won so many league titles. He even admitted this week that for Spurs it was "a good investment" to have someone like him in charge.
However, there was also a modest element to his comments about his contract situation and "not wanting to push the club" about it, when asked whether the World Cup represented the perfect break to discuss it with the powers that be.
"There doesn't exist a right time. It could be tomorrow. It could be the last day of the Premier League season. The most important thing for me and the club is to understand we want to continue together, to go in the same direction," he said. "This is the most important thing. Otherwise I don’t see a problem. I don’t see another situation.
"I said in the past, I didn’t need another contract to be sure to stay in a club. Also, for the club, it’s a good investment to have a coach like me and my staff. I think at the right time I will take the best decision.
"At this moment, I'm really happy. I don't want to push the club about the situation because it’s not the right time. We have just started the season and we have a long time to live together and to understand, to continue to work together."
He added: "If the club and the manager want to work together they will continue to work together. If they don’t want to work together they finish. This is not important. The most important thing for me is that I'm really enjoying to work with Tottenham, with these players, especially, and the relationship with Daniel [Levy] and Fabio is good.
"I'm OK and I think the club is happy about this situation. They want to go and see. Now the most important thing for Tottenham’s present and Tottenham’s future is to get the best possible results, and we have to pay attention because after the international break some players come back not in perfect physical condition."
Conte's change in demeanour and his happiness in N17 provides stability after a turbulent time at the club and it is fitting as Spurs travel on Saturday to an Arsenal side that have attempted to steady the ship at their end of north London by backing Mikel Arteta in recent seasons through highs and lows.
Conte praised the Gunners' faith in the Spaniard and he has said previously that he would love to remain at a club for a long reign like Jurgen Klopp if he knew the end result would be titles and trophies.
Conte needs silverware in his life. It's what he's built for. As long as what Tottenham are building towards convinces him trophies are to come he won't kick up too much of a fuss - especially if there are no better alternatives out there.
That Spurs are building their project around Conte will also speak his ego and it's something all managers want. Paratici is attempting to create an environment in which his compatriot can simply do his thing.
Conte knows that life at Spurs is not like it was at Chelsea, or still is, judging by the Blues' spending spree under their new owners.
"I think it will be very important to continue to work in the right way. I know, personally, that we need to have time and a bit of patience to try to build a path to become seriously competitive with City, Liverpool, Chelsea, also United I think and Arsenal. For me, it's important to realise this and understand that we need time and patience," said the Tottenham head coach.
"Then, I repeat, I'm enjoying working with this club and it's very important to have a good relationship with the owner and Fabio to stay in the same line and vision. Then I know in other clubs maybe you have the possibility to have a path not so long.
"Also in this transfer market, you go to try to improve the team but if you see what happens in the other clubs you understand, not that it's difficult but that you have to go slowly, to work, to go step by step to improve this level. This is the only way we have to go together. To improve the quality of the players, to improve my players and to try to reduce this gap.
"I listen sometimes to people speaking, only because you had two or three good results but it's important to be honest, to know which is the reality and to be ready to fight, to work and to improve the situation, but you need time and patience to improve the squad.
"Slowly, slowly and you have to know that other clubs can go into the transfer market and spend a lot of money and we have to do things with common sense and know this is the right way for a club like Tottenham."
Conte is desperate to win the Premier League again and upset the big boys but he knows this is a time when those big boys have become juggernauts.
That he understands the reality but is still happy, hungry and settled means Spurs have a big weapon in their holster. If anyone can upset the others at the top table, it's Antonio Conte.
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