Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[McFlash]

We have patience antonio all we are asking is for some football to enjoy not prime stoke city that you are serving up on a weekly basis now!

Pah, Stoke City had a style and played to their strengths.
We appear to have nothing at present.

I don't want another bloody manager change but the writing is on the wall and I can't see any other outcome.

 

[only1waddle]

Why do you find it cringey?
It's pretty much the only way fans have if making their feeling towards him known and for me, much more productive than the above example of chanting for a manager we don't even have (like a bunch of forlorn and love lost teenage girls!).

The sad thing is, Levy will just hear the chanting and think its all about not spending enough money, granted some fans are a bit one dimensional like that, we know why he doesn't put the same care into the football as the commercial but it's gone on too long now, needs to become as toxic towards him and make him genuinely uncomfortable, not nasty, no parasite nonsense, but some decent home truths need to be sent his way.

 

[spursfan77]

I wonder what the embargoed reports will be. Sometimes they are a bit more juicy.

 

[rossdapep]

The day I start giving a fuck about what Tory Boy has to say , is the day I jack it all in.

Very true

 

[Bing]

Why do you find it cringey?
It's pretty much the only way fans have if making their feeling towards him known and for me, much more productive than the above example of chanting for a manager we don't even have (like a bunch of forlorn and love lost teenage girls!).

I agree with you on the Poch chants...that's even worse.

In terms of the Levy chants - it's more of a personal view but I don't want us to go down the Chelsea/City/Newcastle route. I just don't see the alternative to ENIC as that attractive. I've said before on here that the progress we have made as a club in every aspect since Levy took over is huge and can't be discounted. I concede we've fallen short, but the fact that we have had consistent CL football, a world class stadium, we have attracted world class managers (Poch and Conte) and seen some phenomenal players (VDV-Bale-Modric-Dembele-Kane) is too often overlooked.

I grew up in the era of David Pleat, Cristian Gross and summers of singing Paulo Tramezzani. I know what that was like.....Levy is far from perfect but the way some fans go on you would swear he is Mike Ashley. There is a lack of perspective sometimes.

 

[HedgieSpur]

There is something more subtle and interesting going on here.

I honestly think that the fanbase has had an inferiority complex foisted upon it by rival fans, the media and circumstance. We are way too down on the team and the club compared to other fans. Our top players are too good for us and we should all pity them for being here, Conte is doing us a favour by joining etc. The negativity is corosive. No one hates Tottenham more than us.

So when we have managers who play into this, like Mourinho and Conte, who tell us that we cannot expect more or that other teams like Chelsea or Milan are light years beyond us; it's really damaging. Even though Conte wasn't necessarily out of line (nor was Redknapp), I really think we need positivity and promotion from the manager. We should be proud of what we've accomplished and excited about building further, increasing spending etc.

Conte had a lot of good traits but we cannot have a manger that even slightly tends towards negativity, it doesn't work for this fanbase.

This is a brilliant post. I remember posting some time back that, in my opinion, every manager from Jol to Poch had contributed to our success as a club in some way. The amount of dislikes and disparaging comments about individual managers showed how our fanbase really has an inferiority complex.

To me, Jol started it by getting us our pride back and have us competing for Europe, Ramos won us our first trophy in ages, Redknapp got us CL and played the best football Ive seen since Burkinshaw, AVB got us our highest points total and a ridiculously high PPG, Poch brought us title challenges and a CL final.

What do you think some of our fans focus on? "Jol was tactically inept", "Ramos was a disaster and nearly got us relegated", "Redknapp was dodgy and a wheeler dealer", "AVB was just boring, weird talking robot who never had played the game", "Poch went off the rails and the last year was dreadful" etc etc etc. Im not being sanctimonious here either, I am one of the worst culprits myself!

As you've said, the only thing we can do now is look forward and try and bring in a manager who is positive both in a footballing and personality sense.

COYS

 

[JayB]

Tbh although I agree with the point you’re making I think his comments were more aimed at Levy than anything. It’s very clear he wanted Zaniolo and skill set he has and doesn’t see Danjuma as the same profile player (which he isn’t). Essentially he’s saying I asked for X player and Levy gave me Z player. As much as I feel sorry for Danjuma who is clearly stuck in the middle and not at fault, Levy should certainly be held accountable because he’s done this countless times. Buying a player the manager didn’t want because he was cheap and vaguely resembles the one the manager did actually want.

As frustrating as Conte's "club signings" stance is, the blame ultimately falls to Levy. It was eminently predictable that Conte would have this response to how we operate in the transfer market. He's always had very particular requirements for players to suit his methods and always will do.

If Levy was unwilling to back that vision then Conte never should have come in to begin with. What has the fucking point been in bringing in a manager who demands very particular players if you're going to insist on continuing to snap up whatever opportunistic bargain basement signing happens to be available in any given window and unproven young talents that the manager has no plan for? Conte needs to go now, but he's been set up to fail by a club that was not structured to suit his (admittedly idiosyncratic) requirements.

We've got to bring in a manager who is tactically flexible and can work with what he's given rather than with what he dreams of being given. Levy has shown beyond any doubt whatsoever that he'll never adjust his approach in the market to suit a manager, so we need a manager who suits his approach in the market.

 

[EastUpperDK82]

We have patience antonio all we are asking is for some football to enjoy not prime stoke city that you are serving up on a weekly basis now!

And maybe get past teams like Sheffield U and Nottingham in the cups... with all respect to them

 

[McFlash]

I agree with you on the Poch chants...that's even worse.

In terms of the Levy chants - it's more of a personal view but I don't want us to go down the Chelsea/City/Newcastle route. I just don't see the alternative to ENIC as that attractive. I've said before on here that the progress we have made as a club in every aspect since Levy took over is huge and can't be discounted. I concede we've fallen short, but the fact that we have had consistent CL football, a world class stadium, we have attracted world class managers (Poch and Conte) and seen some phenomenal players (VDV-Bale-Modric-Dembele-Kane) is too often overlooked.

I grew up in the era of David Pleat, Cristian Gross and summers of singing Paulo Tramezzani. I know what that was like.....Levy is far from perfect but the way some fans go on you would swear he is Mike Ashley. There is a lack of perspective sometimes.

I get your point there and for myself, I'm perfectly happy with ENIC running the club, and to some extent Levy too.
He just needs to completely step away from the footballing side.
Stop signing players the manager doesn't want or need just because they are a good deal, pick a style and direction to take us in and fucking stick to it.

I guess that's a bit much to squeeze into a chant though.

 

[HedgieSpur]

As frustrating as Conte's "club signings" stance is, the blame ultimately falls to Levy. It was eminently predictable that Conte would have this response to how we operate in the transfer market. He's always had very particular requirements for players to suit his methods and always will do.

If Levy was unwilling to back that vision then Conte never should have come in to begin with. What has the fucking point been in bringing in a manager who demands very particular players if you're going to insist on continuing to snap up whatever opportunistic bargain basement signing happens to be available in any given window and unproven young talents that the manager has no plan for? Conte needs to go now, but he's been set up to fail by a club that was not structured to suit his (admittedly idiosyncratic) requirements.

We've got to bring in a manager who is tactically flexible and can work with what he's given rather than with what he dreams of being given. Levy has shown beyond any doubt whatsoever that he'll never adjust his approach in the market to suit a manager, so we need a manager who suits his approach in the market.

More worryingly for me is what qualification does Levy have to even make these "club signings"? He has a degree in Land Economy from Cambridge which is laudable n all but how did that make him into a player trader?

 

[$hoguN]

His comments today remain mystifying. I can’t see how he continues.

He seems to have no future so let’s get it over and done with. Then Levy can fuck off too

 

[HedgieSpur]

As frustrating as Conte's "club signings" stance is, the blame ultimately falls to Levy. It was eminently predictable that Conte would have this response to how we operate in the transfer market. He's always had very particular requirements for players to suit his methods and always will do.

If Levy was unwilling to back that vision then Conte never should have come in to begin with. What has the fucking point been in bringing in a manager who demands very particular players if you're going to insist on continuing to snap up whatever opportunistic bargain basement signing happens to be available in any given window and unproven young talents that the manager has no plan for? Conte needs to go now, but he's been set up to fail by a club that was not structured to suit his (admittedly idiosyncratic) requirements.

We've got to bring in a manager who is tactically flexible and can work with what he's given rather than with what he dreams of being given. Levy has shown beyond any doubt whatsoever that he'll never adjust his approach in the market to suit a manager, so we need a manager who suits his approach in the market.

I slightly disagree with your last point about getting in a manager to "work with what he is given". We've got to move away from this approach imo. It needs to be a holistic process in which the Levy sets the budget, DoF sets the strategy and chooses the manager, player options are presented to the manager with the parameters of the strategy and budget but lastly, the final say on players MUST rest with the manager imo. Having a DoF and manager working within an aligned strategy guards against getting players who the next manager won't/cannot use.

 

[NickHSpurs]

The man looks properly unwell still, it’s mental we haven’t been able to get a mutual settlement due for medical reasons. No job is worth risking your health Antonio, especially not this one!

 

[YB123]

My only concern with all this Conte-bashing, is that the heat is off Levy. He bears more responsibility for this shit show than Conte, we must not lose sight of that.

He wont care about the protests, as much as I do admire those folk.

What will get a reaction out of him is the amount of empty seats tomorrow. Theres 3/4,000 available and counting

 

[HedgieSpur]

The man looks properly unwell still, it’s mental we haven’t been able to get a mutual settlement due for medical reasons. No job is worth risking your health Antonio, especially not this one!

I was speaking to my sisters today, both of who are doctors and they were both saying he doesn't look well at all.

 

[JayB]

I slightly disagree with your last point about getting in a manager to "work with what he is given". We've got to move away from this approach imo. It needs to be a holistic process in which the Levy sets the budget, DoF sets the strategy and chooses the manager, player options are presented to the manager with the parameters of the strategy and budget but lastly, the final say on players MUST rest with the manager imo. Having a DoF and manager working within an aligned strategy guards against getting players who the next manager won't/cannot use.

Believe me, I would love to have that setup. But as long as Levy is running the club, it's a pipe dream. He's never going to stop interfering in our recruitment.

So long as Levy remains in charge of the football side of the operation, we have to accept the reality and get a manager who can work with the structure that is in place rather than the structure we'd all prefer.

The only hope otherwise would be to create pressure for the Lewis family to step in and narrow Levy's remit, taking any responsibility for footballing operations away from him. But I don't see it happening.

 

[jay2040]

Whether he is here next season or not we should still aim for top 4 this season. He manged it last season so I'm hoping we can do it again this season.
It's a shame it's not worked out for whatever reason and hope the players can get motivated enough to put a shift enough and give us something to cheer about.

 

[kmk]

I think some obviously just want to see Conte gone now and are letting emotion hang on every single word he says.

Everyone agrees there are bigger problems to be had at the club, yet are using Conte as the main focus point of anger, perfect for the board and Levy and co.

In Poch's final season, the one for him crying out for a rebuild - there are still 6 players that featured in his last match at the club today. 1 that didn't feature (sess) is still here, as well as 3 players (GLC, Ndombele, Winks) that featured that are still contracted to the club.

We've heard Poch, Jose, and now Conte say that this squad isn't good enough. Yes it can produce better football and better results, but unlikely for sustainable periods of a season. How can 10 players be contracted to the club through the tenure of FOUR different managers? Yet, they get none of the blame.

I don't trust this club to pick the next right manager, I don't trust them with the vision currently, so I really don't care when Conte goes, and I would actually be pleased if the club didn't make a rash decision just to please some over the next few weeks before the cracks start appearing again in 6-12 months time.

Our squad was still superior to Nottingham Forest and a reserve Championship team (Sheffield United) in the domestic cups, this season.

There was no excuse to lose those two matches, regardless of Sanchez, Dier and Davies playing.

 

[Joshua shepherd]

Our squad was still superior to Nottingham Forest and a reserve Championship team (Sheffield United) in the domestic cups, this season.

There was no excuse to lose those two matches, regardless of Sanchez, Dier and Davies playing.

Are the players completely blameless?

 

[mil1lion]

I slightly disagree with your last point about getting in a manager to "work with what he is given". We've got to move away from this approach imo. It needs to be a holistic process in which the Levy sets the budget, DoF sets the strategy and chooses the manager, player options are presented to the manager with the parameters of the strategy and budget but lastly, the final say on players MUST rest with the manager imo. Having a DoF and manager working within an aligned strategy guards against getting players who the next manager won't/cannot use.

I've always felt this relationship between director and manager is so key. I thought Paratici and Conte would be ideal but then when you hear Conte refer to club signings I have my doubts. You need a director who signs the profile of player to fit what the manager wants. You need a manager to trust the players that have been signed for them. At the end of the day a manager has a full time job on their hands and they can't possibly know about all the players. I never really understand when managers want so much control because they need to delegate some of that work. Obviously there can be the odd player the manager knows well and if you can sign them then great. However when you look at someone like Danjuma sitting out when we can't score goals it shows little trust in the process. This was actually my biggest issue with Poch, for all the great he did with the players he had the lack of a director set us back years. He seemed so indecisive on signings and the ones he got in his final couple of years were poor ones. With Conte we're signing more players but he doesn't trust the process enough or the players we get are ones we need to develop and he wants ready made.

We really need our Cruyff figure at the club to set the identity and then each manager brought in fits into that. Then when a manager leaves and another comes in they inherit those players who will suit their system.