Tottenham fans were stunned into silence on Monday afternoon after they watched superstar Son Heung-min collapse to the ground in a gruelling training session overseen by Antonio Conte. The north London outfit are aiming to reach peak fitness before the start of a season which will see them compete in at least 46 matches in all competitions.
Around 6,000 fans were allowed into the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Monday afternoon to watch the team train ahead of their new campaign, with new players Yves Bissouma, Richarlison and Fraser Forster being seen for the first time in a white shirt. Antonio Conte will want his men to be in peak physical condition by the time they enter their Premier League season opener against Southampton on August 6.
The Italian is known for making his players work themselves down to the bone in pre-season so that they are ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead of them. But Spurs fans were stunned into silence when Son, who is naturally perceived to be one of their fittest players, collapsed towards the end of a fitness test before club vice-captain Harry Kane helped the South Korean star to his feet.
Footage emerged of the players being put through repeated full pitch runs after two hours of light training. Players dropped out as the intensity cranked up, with certain players in the squad feeling the Korea heat. Son and Kane were some of the pack leaders but the South Korean star went down and the 6,000 fans despairingly went quiet in his home country where he is worshipped.
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Kane helped him to his feet and rejoined the next run with his attacking companion, although the duo dropped out of the last set of runs alongside Japhet Tanganga and Bissouma – leaving Troy Parrott to lead the final run. Nonetheless, the return of the players to a football pitch excited Spurs fans in attendance with the season set to get underway in around a month’s time.
Conte will have been assessing the start of his new arrivals whilst also making judgements on players he already had in his squad ahead of the new campaign as he thinks about his preferred starting line-up. And the enigmatic Italian recently told of how delighted he was with getting his transfer business done early.
“It was important to sign new players early,” Conte said. “In this way you can prepare, you can work at the start with these players, bring [them] into our idea of football. Compared to the past, now for me it’s a bit easier because the team knows very well what I want. After seven months of work, we have a base.
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