Gian Piero Ventrone, Tottenham’s fitness coach, dies at 61

LONDON (AP) — Tottenham fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone has died at the age of 61. Tottenham announced the death of Ventrone without giving any more details. Ventrone held similar roles with Juventus and Italy’s World Cup-winning team of 2006 under Marcello Lippi. Ventrone joined Tottenham after Antonio Conte took charge as manager last November. He was popular with Tottenham’s players and nicknamed “The Marine” because of his intense fitness sessions. Tottenham says he was “as loveable off the pitch as he was demanding on it.” Juventus says Ventrone “employed innovative methods in physical conditioning inspired by modern criteria, which led the way in Italy and abroad.”