Conte already planning Spurs return says assistant Stellini

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte already wants to return to the bench despite being told to rest by medical staff following a recent operation.

Conte is currently in Italy and will not be on the touchline for Sunday's Premier League clash against West Ham after suffering a setback following gallbladder surgery on February 1.

The 53-year-old was back at work eight days after his medical procedure and took charge for Tottenham's defeats at Leicester and AC Milan.

But Conte admitted on Thursday he had come back too soon and will now take more time to fully recover.

Conte's assistant Cristian Stellini will oversee the team after managing their recent 1-0 win against Manchester City, although his football-obsessed boss is already keen to get back to work.

"Health is more important than football and this is the reason why the club, Antonio and the doctors decided to take this responsibility and leave Antonio in Italy after the last game," Stellini told reporters on Friday.

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"We don't know the time. He needs to rest. We have a call every day, many times in a day, probably three times per day and every time he wants to come back.

"He repeats every day, 'I want to come back Cristian, I'm sorry but how was training, tomorrow we have to organise something particular, we have to organise the team, what do you feel, what do you think,' but he wants to come back. That is every time in his sentences."

One consolation for Tottenham is Stellini's record while deputising for Conte.

He has presided over the City win and also a Champions League victory against Marseille when the Italian was banned from the touchline earlier this season.

Stellini achieved three wins out of three when deputising for Conte at Inter Milan during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons.

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"Since the moment he came back after two days Antonio's feeling was that maybe he underestimated the procedure after the surgery," Stellini said.

"Coming close to the (Leicester) game, the stress, the tension he lives normally before the game created some problems.

"He needs to take it easy again. He will come back soon but not like he hoped."