Italy coach Conte declines to talk about his future
MILAN (Reuters) - Italy coach Antonio Conte declined to talk about his future on Monday as he gave his first news conference since announcing that he would step down after Euro 2016.
Conte's announcement last Tuesday increased British media speculation that the 46-year-old was set to join Premier League side Chelsea next season, but the coach said he was keeping his decisions to himself.
"At this moment, nothing interests me. I'm the coach of the national team and it's an experience which has taught me so much," he told a news conference at Italy's training ground.
"It's been a fantastic, extraordinary experience, and I've always envied coaches who have taken part at a World Cup or a European Championship," added Conte, who took over after the 2014 World Cup and has lost only two games, both friendlies.
Conte, whose contract ends after the Euro 2016 tournament, said he had been asked to clarify his position by Italian football federation (FIGC) president Carlo Tavecchio last week.
"I have thought about it and weighed up my decision and, when I had no more doubts, I informed the president, the one who chose me and wanted me here."
Chelsea won the English title under Jose Mourinho last season but struggled this term and sacked the Portuguese in mid-December, replacing him with interim coach Guus Hiddink.
Turning to this year's Euros, Conte added: "I feel a great desire to work. I'm excited about the competition in June, I am raring to go. These are experiences that happen once in a lifetime and I feel a great responsibility.
"We know there are other teams who are maybe stronger than us, but we can close the gap by working hard."
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Italy, who host European champions Spain in a friendly on Thursday and visit World Cup holders Germany the following Tuesday, face Belgium, Ireland and Sweden at the tournament in France which runs from June 10 to July 10.
Conte led Italy comfortably through the qualifying competition for Euro 2016 as they finished top of their group with seven wins and three draws in 10 matches.
Their only defeats under Conte have been to Portugal and Belgium in friendlies.
The fiery coach, who led Juventus to three successive Serie A titles, has clashed angrily with Italian clubs after they refused to release players for a training camp.
However, he said it was the lack of games, particularly the four-month gap between the November and March international dates, which had frustrated him in his current post.
"I spent four months without any matches and it's been really tough. I didn't want another two years like that," he said.
"I'm very tired of spending so much time in the garage for so much time," he said. "In the garage, I felt the smell of the machine, or rubber and motor oil, not the grass of the pitch."
(Writing by Brian Homewood, editing by Pritha Sarkar and Ken Ferris)