Sebastian Giovinco reveals Juventus players felt ‘squeezed dry’ during Antonio Conte’s tenure and the moment he left they could ‘breathe and smile. We felt reborn.’
The coach is well known for his intensive training techniques and constant pressure poured on players, directors and even fans in his pursuit of perfection.
This is also why he has rarely spent more than two years in any job, leaving Juventus two days into pre-season training for what would’ve been his fourth campaign in Turin.
“He was just non-stop, like a jack hammer,” Giovinco told Cronache di Spogliatoio.
“I remember one time he told off Gigi Buffon for celebrating in the locker room, because we still had to keep pushing and achieve the record of 100 Serie A points.
“After he left, the players could breathe and smile again. We felt reborn, because we had been squeezed dry for years.”
This sense of fatigue is not new for Conte’s players, which is why he lasted two years on the Italy bench, two years at Chelsea and then left Tottenham after just 17 months.
The 53-year-old tactician is currently out of contract after terminating his deal with Spurs early by mutual consent and has been repeatedly linked with a return to Italy.
Options include a comeback at Juventus, Inter or a new role for Roma replacing Jose Mourinho.