Antonio Conte’s supreme torturer Gian Piero Ventrone gets Tottenham in full swing in Seoul for the new season… his gym routines regularly make the stars vomit but they still love him!
- Tottenham’s fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone has pushed the players to their limits
- At 30 degrees and 70 percent humidity in Seoul, several players felt sick
- He forced the Premier League stars to run 42 lengths of pitch with little rest
- Ventrone has historically been nicknamed The Marine for his grueling fitness routines
Gian Piero Ventrone is Antonio Conte‘s supreme torturer, the fitness guru with a fearsome reputation tasked with gymnastics Tottenham‘s players among the fittest and most resilient in the First League.
It has been synced The Navy when he worked juventuswhere he pumped Ride of the Valkyries out of the speakers while his players ran and installed a “shame bell” to be rung by the first to drop out.
This week, in 30-degree heat and 70 percent humidity here in Seoul, his signature drill — 42 lengths of court covered with a good lick with minimal recovery time — created a scene of devastation.
Gian Piero Ventrone, Tottenham’s notorious fitness trainer, is nicknamed The Marine
Boss Antonio Conte has his players undergo tough preparatory training in Seoul
World stars became trembling physical wrecks and England captain Harry Kane was on his knees and vomiting.
“It’s pretty normal,” said Spurs defenseman Matt Doherty.
“Even the week before in London had gone in that direction. I don’t know if there will be teams fitter than us.
“It’s tough, the toughest preseason I’ve ever had. It’s not like anything I’ve done before.
“But when the session is over, you are very satisfied.
“Your mind was racked in the middle, but when it’s done you’re proud and you go to bed and you’re like, ‘Yeah, I worked hard today.’ You just think: “Don’t stop”. Even if you have to crawl over the line or jog or walk towards the end.
“It’s that determination that the manager instilled in us to keep going and never give up.”
With no Wagnerian operas to be pumped out of the speakers at Seoul’s World Cup stadium, Ventrone urged local fans to cheer on his players despite the pain.
When they were done and had gathered enough energy to get back on their feet, he gave them a hug, a smile and a word of encouragement.
Tottenham stars Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are already feeling the strains of the pre-season
Conte, who came under his tutelage as a player at Juventus, likes to joke that 62-year-old Ventrone has gone soft.
“It’s funny because usually when you have a fitness trainer like this who’s making you walk in rags, you start to dislike him — but we all absolutely love him,” Doherty said.
“We have so much respect for him that we do what he tells us.”
Doherty missed the last seven games of last season with a knee injury and has been working on it all summer to ensure he’s in shape to contend for a spot on Conte’s revamped team.
“My plan is to stay and fight for my place,” he said. “We have an exciting season ahead of us. Why would I want to go anywhere else?’
Some players had to run 42 lengths, while those who were late had 30 more runs to complete
