Antonio Conte receives heroes welcome from Tottenham fans

Antonio Conte received a warm welcome to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium ahead his first game in charge of the club. 

The Italian manager will take charge of Tottenham for the first time against Vitesse Arnhem in their Europa Conference League clash after his visa was approved. 

The 52-year-old – who oversaw his first Tottenham training session earlier this week – will be looking to get off to a winning start Group G game. 

As it stands, Spurs are third in their group – three points behind the current leaders Rennes and two points behind Vitesse.  

Conte will feeling be positive heading into the game after receiving a heroes welcome to the stadium. 

The fans were heard singing the Italian’s managers name when he entered the club’s home ground. 

Peter Crouch also said before that game that he ‘didn’t have to worry about getting the Tottenham fans on side’ as their reaction to his arrival proved they are delighted about his appointment.  

Speaking ahead of his first game against Vitesse, Conte told Spurs’ official channels: ‘To be Tottenham manager is a great pleasure, a great honour. Now I want to repay this trust.  

‘My coaching philosophy is very simple: to play good football and attractive football for our fans. To have a stable team, not up and down.

‘The fans deserve to have a competitive team with a will to fight. I’ll do everything to deserve their support.

‘Tottenham is an important club in England and around the world. The stadium and training ground are wonderful.

‘The club and Daniel Levy wanted me strongly. This is a good opportunity, an honour to accept and become the manager.

‘I have seen on Tuesday the training ground and I want to start work. I arrive at a top club. These situations push you and increase the desire to do something important for the fans of this club.’    

Former Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason will also make an appearance on the sidelines against Vitesse after being promoted to the club’s head coach. 

Mason spent six weeks as the interim Tottenham manager last season after Jose Mourinho was sacked in April. 

During his time in charge, Mason won four of his seven Premier League games. He also secured European football with Tottenham landing a place in the Europa Conference League.

However, he returned to his previous role as head of development at the club’s academy when Nuno Espirito Santo was appointed as the Spurs boss. 

Following Nuno’s sacking, Mason took charge of Tottenham’s training sessions while Conte watched on. 

The former Chelsea boss was said to be impressed enough with the 30-year-old to hand him his first permanent role within the senior set-up.

Conte’s five other appointments are all Italian and have all been granted work permits in time for their Europa League clash against Vitesse in north London. 

The Tottenham players seem to be excited about the new management team – with Hugo Lloris saying they have been gifted a ‘great opportunity to work under one of the greatest managers of the last few years’.  

Lloris said: ‘He is very ambitious and he believes in all the players in the dressing room. He will give his best to help the club to improve and to give a proper structure to the team.

‘Then as players we need to demand more from each other. We need to show more responsibility for the clubs and fans.

‘It is a great opportunity to work under one of the greatest managers of the last few years. Now is not the time for words. It is time to work.

‘It is time to believe again in ourselves, our team and in our club. Step by step we will try to improve and reach the level that we should.

‘The club showed the right direction. There is a lot of ambition for Tottenham and they try to provide the best towards the players. But the players need to show their responsibility and they need to show their commitment. It is about finding the right connection together.’