Emotional Weekend for Tottenham as they lose their fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone

Conte received a call last Thursday from his fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone. It was his fitness coach telling him he had a fever and he couldn't come to work. He told Conte what the story was with his illness and Conte said don't worry. His health is more important. Gian Piero died at his family home in Naples and everyone at the club is devastated.

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Gian Piero was nicknamed the "Marine" due to his early years being in the Italian navy in his early years where he learnt the effectiveness of fitness training on a team or a squad. Some will remember back in August when Spurs players were made run 41 lengths of the pitch. Players such as Son and Kane were physically sick during the drills. Gian Piero was the fitness coach in charge of these drills. Now if I had a coach that was running me ragged every day, I would probably not like him very much but all the players liked Gian Piero. He especially made good relations with Sonny and offered him advice with Google translate as his English was not so good yet.
Ventrone coached Juventus during their glory years with Conte and was also prominent under Lippis Italian team that won the world cup. He was famous for putting a bell in training sessions. If a player gave up on a drill he would have to ring the bell. No player liked ringing the bell as it was a sign of weakness so all the players plucked up the last ounce of strength to get them over the line.

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The results of these exercises would transfer to the football field and this is why players liked him so much. It was a sad week in Tottenham's training ground as the coaches, players and staff came to terms with the sudden loss of their friend and team member.
There was a one minute applause at the start of the Brighton game in honour of Ventrone and it was a very nice moment. Players and coaches looked visibly upset lining out. Even Kane was choked up after the game.
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Spurs finally started with 3 in midfield. Richarlison needing a rest for his game time. Bissouma came in for him to have an extra man dictating play. Sessegnon came in for Perisic and surprisingly Doherty came in for a suspended Royal. Both wing backs played very well in my opinion. Doherty a bit rusty from lack of game time but much more effective than Emerson Royal. Bissouma was that extra bit of creativity in midfield was a bit wasteful as well and received a yellow card for a rash challenge. Spurs got there in the end with a Sonny cross and an instinctive header by who else other than Kane to convert. Spurs celebrated wildly at the end. A great result against a good team given the week that they had. Conte is said to have said nothing much to the players and they went out there themselves and got the win. The win was for Gian Piero and you could see it in their faces. Spurs cemented their third place still in firing distance of Arsenal and Man City.

They are back in the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Wednesday night for the home leg of their Champions League tie with Frankfurt. This is a game they need to win to qualify for the group stages. Then it is onto Everton on Saturday night and Man United next Wednesday. The fixtures are coming thick and fast before the world cup so it is important the squad stay focused. The loss of a loved one will really bind them together.

On the commercial side Tottenham are said to be in talks with Google over the naming rights for their stadium, It has been 3 and a half years now that this has been going on so hopefully a deal will be struck soon as it looks like a lucrative one for the club. $250 million over 18 years.

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