Antonio Conte Rejected Chance To Become National Team Manager

Antonio Conte turned down the chance to go back into international football, after he left Inter Milan earlier this summer.

Conte ended Inter's 11 year wait to become Italian champions, by winning Serie A last season, but left the club soon after due to financial problems.

The Italian was strongly linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, to replace Jose Mourinho, but things fell apart, as they did with several potential Spurs managers.

However that's not the only job that the former Chelsea boss turned down this summer, with reports that he could have been the new Netherlands manager.

Italian journalist Maurizio Pistocchi claimed the 51-year-old was offered the role following Euro 2020 but turned it down, instead waiting for a club role.

Conte managing at Euro 2016. Image: PA Images

The former Italy boss, who managed his national side from 2014 to 2016, impressed at Euro 2016 before leaving for the Premier League.

Netherlands looked good in the group stage of this summer's tournament and qualified top of group C, ahead of Austria, Ukraine and North Macedonia.

However their tournament was brought to an abrupt end in the second round when they lost 2-0 to Czech Republic.

Frank de Boer was soon removed from his position, leaving it vacant for Conte to be offered the role, and the Dutch FA will now need to find a new candidate.

De Boer's management came into question as soon as Netherlands lost to Czech Republic. Image: PA Images

Conte meanwhile has explained that money wasn't the reason that he turned down the chance to return to the Premier League.

"Let me say that if my problem or my obsession were money, in the past I would have stayed where I was," the former Juventus boss told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I would have accepted compromises, and perhaps [accepted] renewals. But instead I look at the projects and I am willing to stay at home if they don't convince me.

"In general, I like challenges and I have shown that I have always accepted a lot of them, because even the big clubs I had never started as favourites when I took them.

"But if there is something that does not convince me, I prefer to say 'no thank you.'"

Topics: Football, Euro 2020, Netherlands, Antonio Conte, Inter Milan

Ryan Sidle

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