"We thought he was joking" – Sky Sports reporter drops Hotspur Way claim after Conte comments

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte‘s answer to a question about Oliver Skipp at a Hotspur Way press conference caused confusion among members of the press, according to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge.

Conte was critical about the club’s medical department after being quizzed over the midfielder’s injury that has kept him out since January.

Early last month, the Italian called on Spurs’ doctors to explain exactly why the 21-year-old has spent so long on the sidelines.

Skipp last played against Chelsea on 23 January, missing 13 games in all competitions following a pelvic problem.

Conte has been continuously asked about Skipp’s condition, and seemingly lost his patience when he called out some of the backroom staff in a press conference on 4 March.

“Oliver Skipp, it is a pity,” he said. “In England, I think that sometimes you should have a [press] conference with the medical department.

“It is too easy for the doctors to work here because they don’t speak, they don’t explain what happens, you understand? Sometimes I think that could be good … if, in two weeks … to have a good press conference with the medical department to explain about the situation that they are trying to take care of their players.”

But Bridge said that some of the press weren’t sure if Conte was mucking around or not.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “Being in those press conferences when it’s being asked by the written press, he was really critical of the medical department. We thought he was joking.

“When I was talking to Alasdair Gold and Dan Kilpatrick after, I said, ‘how are you going to write this one up, because I got the impression he was serious’ and Ali Gold agreed and said, ‘yeah he was, he’s really not happy with the medical team’. But it’s