Antonio Conte remembered his experience marking Diego Maradona and commented on the comparisons between the Argentine legend and Harry Kane.
Former Tottenham man David Ginola recently praised the English striker and compared him to the former Napoli legend, in part because of the way he drops deeper in order to build up play, like a number 10. Many fans were left a little baffled by the comparison, with the two players seeming fairly different in a number of ways.
Speaking in a press conference, Conte first discussed his memories of facing Maradona during his playing career.
“When I was playing for Lecce, my role was to mark, man to man, the No10. I was lucky, or maybe not lucky, to mark Maradona when Napoli played Lecce.
“The game ended 3-2. And I scored! My first goal in Serie A. When I was only 19 years old! It was the last season for Diego in Naples. But for sure this game is impressed in my mind because I marked him and I scored. I was very happy, despite the defeat.”
The Italian coach then commented on the comparisons between Kane and Maradona.
“They are two different players, honestly. Maradona was a No10, not a No9. Harry, he was born a striker. But he has the talent and quality to play like a No10 with another striker in front of him. I like to have him as a striker. Two different players with different characteristics.”
“Honestly I prefer Harry like a No.9, because when he stays into the box or the edge of the box he has great quality, right, left, also with a header, he has great potential.
“But sometimes he goes back and creates space for others and it’s important to have different options. Otherwise you are predictable. And in modern football your team has to be unpredictable.”
Conte has had a decent start in North London following his arrival earlier this season. The Italian coach has overseen 20 Premier League matches so far this campaign, picking up 12 wins, three draws and five losses. He’s hoping for a number of reinforcements to arrive in the summer in order to help the team fight for trophies.
David Ginola reckons Harry Kane is playing just like Diego Maradona – but Antonio Conte played against the late Argentine in his prime and had his own say #THFC #COYS https://t.co/D3tIDeSe3X
— Paul Brown (@pbsportswriter) April 8, 2022