Djed Spence revels in proving Antonio Conte wrong after keeping ‘mental note’ of Spurs jibe

Antonio Conte shattered Djed Spence’s confidence shortly after Tottenham signed him in the summer of 2022, but now the full-back is shining and has been called up by England

Djed Spence has accused former Tottenham boss Antonio Conte of “shattering his confidence.”

Tottenham defender Spence launched a stinging attack on Conte and revealed he keeps a “mental note” of all the managers who have doubted him in his career.

Napoli boss Conte made it clear that Spence was not his signing when Spurs bought him back in the summer of 2022 as the Italian said: “Spence is an investment of the club. The club wanted to do it. The club decided to buy him.”

Spence did not start a single Premier League game under Conte before being farmed out on loan to French club Rennes just five months later.

Full back Spence, 25, who has now won his first senior England call-up, said: “I would probably say the biggest hurdle is when I signed for Tottenham and I didn’t necessarily feel the love straight away, with the manager and everything.

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“I was on such a high going into the club. When I went there, I was on a high, and then I almost came crashing down because of comments from the manager and not playing. I was in a difficult space then.

“I am buzzing, I am going to sign for Tottenham. So to hear comments like that wasn’t nice. It does shatter your confidence a bit.

“But, you know, I am a fighter. So, whatever I do I will try to do my best in everything I can. Fast forward, I am here now, so I am happy.

“I wouldn’t say I particularly have a list or anything, but I do have a mental note of people who doubted me, for sure, and it does feel good to prove them wrong.

“Obviously, at the time it wasn’t nice but I feel like I don’t put my energy into certain things like that. I just focus, do what I need to do. I’ve got a good family behind me that keeps me focused.”

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