Graham Potter has revealed the key advice given to him by Antonio Conte earlier in his management career.
The two are set to go head-to-head on Sunday afternoon, as Potter's Chelsea look to end their five game winless run when they head to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to take on Conte's Spurs.
It will be the first taste of the London derby for Potter, who took charge of Chelsea in September following the dismissal of Thomas Tuchel.
Whilst the Englishman has only been at the helm at Stamford Bridge for a matter of months, the pressure is mounting on the former Brighton gaffer.
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His counterpart Conte knows all too well the pressures of being in charge of the two-time Champions League winning side, having managed the club between 2016-2018.
Speaking to the press ahead of the clash, Potter spoke of his admiration for the Spurs head coach, who gave him some key advice earlier in his career.
He said: "[The advice] was about doing your best today and not necessarily thinking too much about the future or the past. It was something that was on his WhatsApp message."
"It was when they beat us [Brighton]. He didn’t send any when we’d won. I spoke to him at Brighton and we have had conversations – and kept contact from a distance.
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"He’s someone I’ve admired a lot as a coach and, then, when you meet him, he’s a gentleman. He has the passion but has always been good to me.
"Antonio has had an amazing career. I have huge respect for him as a coach – and, also, as a man, I really like him."
The positive relationship between the two will be good news for the match officials on Sunday, who will be hoping to avoid a repeat of the unsavoury scenes that took place between Conte and Tuchel following the 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge earlier this season.
Topics: Graham Potter, Antonio Conte, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur
Tom Young