How time flies. It’s a day to remember the late coach Gian Piero Ventrone, who was taken from soccer fans too soon.
“On the first anniversary of Coach Ventrone’s death, we pay tribute to him. He will always be with us,” Tottenham wrote in a poignant post on their official social media accounts on Saturday.
Exactly one year ago, the Spurs players, coaching staff, and fans were left in shock. The Spurs players were told that their mentor and friend, Coach Ventrone, had died of acute leukemia.
Coach Ventrone was Antonio Conte’s division. Conte had a priestly relationship with him when he was a player. His hellish training regimen was passed down to legends like Zinedine Zidane and Pavel Nedved. Ventrone continued to work with Conte as he began his coaching career.
When Conte arrived at Tottenham, Ventrone was well-liked by his players. As Football London put it, “Ventrone took care of his players one-on-one, even during tough training sessions. He took a personal interest in them, offering praise, advice, and encouragement,” explaining why he was so respected. He took care of each player’s personal life. He shared his experiences in the world of soccer. He bonded with the players, always offering comfort and advice,” explaining that he had a lot of support from the players.
In 2022-23, it was Ventrone who wordlessly hugged Son Heung-Min when he broke through with a hat-trick against Leicester City after a goal-less start to the season. Before his death, Ventrone told Conte that he was feeling a little unwell and wanted to rest and get checked out, but his illness took a serious turn for the worse and he passed away.
After the news of Ventrone’s death broke, the same cold-blooded Conte broke down in tears. It was a difficult time for Conte emotionally. So did his players, including Son Heung-min. After scoring a goal in a Tottenham home game in honor of Ventrone, Son clutched the black armband tightly in his hands and raised it to the sky as a final tribute to his mentor.
At the time, Son said, “Preparing for the match was really hard. Coach Ventrone was a special person for everyone. I had a hard time mentally, but I got through it by thinking of Coach 토토사이트 Ventrone. I thought he was watching from heaven. I’m sure he would be very proud of us. He was probably the most supportive fan of Brighton.”
He added: “Coach Ventrone helped me through the tough moments. In the good times, he was there. We had a really good relationship, which is why it breaks my heart just to talk about him.”