Conte’s tough truth that transformed Simone Pepe | OneFootball

Simone Pepe offered candid reflections on his time at Juventus, highlighting the transformative influence of Antonio Conte on his career, according to Bianconera News. Speaking to Cronache di Spogliatoio, the former winger delved into anecdotes from his seasons in Turin, singling out Conte as the manager who unlocked his best performances.

Pepe credited Conte with elevating him beyond his own expectations. “I was a good player in a team of champions. But Conte got more out of me than anyone ever did. He changed my career,” Pepe said. He noted the personal differences between himself and the famously intense coach, describing himself as gregarious and talkative, in contrast to Conte’s more serious demeanour. “He called me ‘chiacchiera’ because I always talked. He would say, ‘Oh, don’t be a pain. Joke as much as you like, but on the pitch you have to give me everything.’ And I did that for him.”

Pepe revealed that, as matchdays approached, he needed to relax by chatting with teammates like Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon. Conte, meanwhile, would often remind him of the gulf between Juventus’ stars and himself: “He always said, ‘They are champions, they switch on in an instant and go onto the pitch. You aren’t at their level, remember that.’ And I’d think, ‘Thanks, boss, I don’t need reminding!’” Pepe admitted these direct reminders were accurate, acknowledging, “What I saw certain players do was incredible.”

Despite sometimes feeling out of place amid such high calibre colleagues, Pepe repeatedly emphasized the respect he has for Conte’s uncompromising standards and motivational approach. The demanding environment, he suggested, brought out the best in role players like himself and turned the dressing room into a vehicle for consistent success.

Conte’s tenure at Juventus marked a turning point, not just for the club, but for Pepe’s own understanding of what was required at the highest level of Italian football. The relationship between the two may have been defined by their different personalities—Pepe’s extroversion against Conte’s focus—but the former winger’s recollections made clear that the manager’s candor and insistence on total commitment left a deep mark on his career.

(Source: Bianconera News)

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