Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder faces Antonio Conte in the FA Cup fifth round on Tuesday and admitted he once accused the Spurs manager of stealing his tactics.
Wilder was using a 3-5-2 system with overlapping centre backs at Sheffield United when he encountered Conte’s Chelsea side.
‘I said to him at an awards evening once that he was copying us!’ revealed Wilder. ‘But he’s a world-class manager. His record speaks for itself.’
Wilder suspected Conte may not have been in the dugout at the Riverside Stadium after the Italian raised doubts over his future following last week’s defeat at Burnley, but the Boro boss defended his opposite number.