Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Ghost Hardware]

I do feel our DoF situation has us in limbo right now. We can't start a manager search until that's sorted one way or another.

I think that is a good point. Must be hard to plan for the future when you have no idea if your DoF is still going to be around in the summer. Pretty good bet we don’t have a back up plan should Paratici have to leave ether.

 

[easley91]

I do wonder if the "selfish" thing isn't something that has been lost a bit in translation, or Conte didn't know the exact word to use so this was as close in his limited English he could get and it's sounded worse whilst he was angry. It wouldn't be the first time.

Someone mentioned somewhere that it could have meant not covering each other off the ball and stuff like that maybe? Like they weren't doing the jobs they should be doing as a team.

 

[Trix]

If levy is keeping him on then I'll be very concerned about the direction of the club. This is coming from someone who is probably one of the more pro-levy people on this site. The bloke can't keep anyone onside at this rate.

You should be concerned about the direction of the club regardless of what happens with Conte.

 

[Impspur1]

So I’m a little confused, we have some players that are bone idle and publicly called out but some agree with the manger. If he stays I assume those he castigated won’t be picked now as he didn’t name them but they will be known

 

[Spursfan1414]

Conte has left a trail of destruction at Spurs - where will he cause chaos next?

The Spurs boss, whose contract expires at the end of the season, is in danger of becoming football’s best unemployable manager

www.independent.co.uk

For all the talk about Conte's qualities on here, this article makes a pretty compelling case that the job market for him is very small now.

 

[DJS]

Conte mentions about being backed, yet Perisic was his decision and look how that’s worked out…

Maybe Conte just isn’t suited to English league demands, his successful season with Chelsea was when they weren’t in any European competitions and he spent the following season constantly moaning and being negative.

Its been pointed out on here that we’ve spent money and he’s not been backed, however Porro, Kulusevski, Bentancur, Richarlison and Bissouma are pretty tasty players to me and any decent manager should be able to utilise them well.

Bissouma went from being one of the best midfielders last year to a shadow of himself and that was down to how he was being coached and the tactics, prior to him then getting injured.

Reggy was jettisoned out during Summer and at time I said that didn’t sit right with me - how we could have used him on left over Perisic (yes I know he’s injured but it may or may not have still happened if he had remained with us).

The only major failing has been in not getting a centre back, however even Conte himself said that other teams have taken several windows to recruit to a successful team and you’d hope a major centre back signing is on the agenda now we have recruited to most of the other weaknesses in our squad.

And Udogwie is to come in summer to further address our left back / left wing back issues.

I know the backing could have been better, but it’s also not exactly been poor with incomings Paraciti has overseen since summer before last, a heck of a lot better than before he came in.

Conte also loaned Gil out again just as he was starting to get game time and looking good.

 

[Trix]

Someone mentioned somewhere that it could have meant not covering each other off the ball and stuff like that maybe? Like they weren't doing the jobs they should be doing as a team.

Could well be, I guess only Conte knows.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

I personally think this is past the point of no return, certainly for a large % of the fan base and now, it seems, some of the players also.

I don't think this is recoverable which is why i am surprised that the club have not made a decision.

He should have been sacked after the AC game, let alone what’s followed

The lack of direction / assertiveness from this club is staggering.

 

[Spursfan1414]

He should have been sacked after the AC game, let alone what’s followed

The lack of direction / assertiveness from this club is staggering.

Could've sacked him months ago while FA cup and CL were still to play for. This situation hasn't come out of nowhere.

 

[FinnYid]

So what if he hasn't won the Champions League, you can't ignore what else he has achieved.

It's not about winning the CL, it's about being a joke in that aspect. While watching our games against Milan commentators here didn't make it about us and our lack of trophies, talking point was Contes horrible record in Europe. And his horrible record in Europe (and pretty much cups in general) is reason he has won leagues on short stints, besides having top 3 wage budget every time. So top dollar, no extra games and he might get league trophy. Before burning bridges.

I hate to break it to you but regardless of manager the top teams spend the most money.

And it gives them trophies, just look at Roberto Di Matteo winning CL at Chelsea. Key point is financial resources.

Arsenal are top because they spent the money to get there. Barca are top because despite their financial issues they've spent big and got big players.

Arteta has smaller wage budget this season than Conte. It's wage budget that matters.

Why do you think we need sports washing to spend big?

Because we can't compete with the top wage budgets otherwise. Not at least on the foreseaable future.

Why do you think we need sports washing to spend big? It's not how Arsenal, Liverpool, Utd are run and even Chelsea now are run by an American. We have this incredible stadium hosting multi events and Levy talk about how this spending is not sustainable.

 

[TOLBINY]

I do wonder if the "selfish" thing isn't something that has been lost a bit in translation, or Conte didn't know the exact word to use so this was as close in his limited English he could get and it's sounded worse whilst he was angry. It wouldn't be the first time.

Yes that was the one word that comes across as quite cutting. Had he said that the players must also accept some responsibility and not branded them "selfish" I think the reaction may have been ever so slightly milder. Then again maybe he knew what he was doing and hit the exact nerve he wanted to hit.

 

[davidclarke]

So I’m a little confused, we have some players that are bone idle and publicly called out but some agree with the manger. If he stays I assume those he castigated won’t be picked now as he didn’t name them but they will be known

I don’t think there is a specific set of players, more that the attitude spreads within games - just like the panic spreads when Hugo or Dier shank a ball out of play in the first five minutes, you know we’re going to concede comedy goals in that game. I didn’t see much hustle from Kane, Son, or Hojbjerg in the last game. Even Romero was quite weak and passive. These are all players that should be leaders on the pitch, but they sometimes don’t have the right attitude

 

[mil1lion]

It's not about winning the CL, it's about being a joke in that aspect. While watching our games against Milan commentators here didn't make it about us and our lack of trophies, talking point was Contes horrible record in Europe. And his horrible record in Europe (and pretty much cups in general) is reason he has won leagues on short stints, besides having top 3 wage budget every time. So top dollar, no extra games and he might get league trophy. Before burning bridges.


And it gives them trophies, just look at Roberto Di Matteo winning CL at Chelsea. Key point is financial resources.

Arteta has smaller wage budget this season than Conte. It's wage budget that matters.

Because we can't compete with the top wage budgets otherwise. Not at least on the foreseaable future.

What? You totally contradict yourself talking about Arteta having lower wages but we need sportwashers because our wages are too low.

 

[Trix]

100% this, his football is dire and wont get better with 2 CB's that can play a bit, the midfield will still be overloaded and we'll be defending all the time to hope for a break away

Oh I think you'd be surprised how much can change if you know you have a solid foundation behind you. Not saying it would change but It's no shock the transformative signings Liverpool made were a GK and a CB. Arsenal the same now bringing Saliba back is the big difference maker not Jesus.

 

[Harrier]

Mate I don't know. I think a winning team is easier to like and we were far from boring back end of last season.

I genuinely don't know how this ends up. Saturday evening I thought he was gone. Sunday morning he met with Levy and he wasn't going.

I expected the players to pile in on him and some have gotten behind him. I've then(and I know this as fact) heard a prominent figure with Daniels ear has told him to ignore the media and get behind him fully, as this cycle needs to be broken.

We need to break the cycle and back the RIGHT manager!

Conte is NOT the right manager!

Had it up to the gills with his negative, turgid football!

 

[Trent Crimm]

I do wonder if the "selfish" thing isn't something that has been lost a bit in translation, or Conte didn't know the exact word to use so this was as close in his limited English he could get and it's sounded worse whilst he was angry. It wouldn't be the first time.

He did tho use “perception” and “characteristics” two fairly big mouthfuls. Reckon he knew what he was saying. IMO.

 

[neogenisis]

He made a lot of valid points because he was correct.

just because it hurts to hear and fans don’t like his football, doesn’t make him any less right.

I didn't say he didn't make valid points and nowhere did I say it didn't hurt to hear it. He is not the right man in any way shape or form to take this club forward.

 

[Johnny J]

I think by "selfish" Conte clearly meant that the players aren't playing as a team, aren't playing for each other.

This is the major problem we've had since the last six months of Poch.

We have many talented players, but for whatever reason no manager has been able to get them consistently performing as a cohesive team.

Our points and goals scored doesn't contradict this. We have enough talent that we'll always score goals and compete to a good level.

But the thing that we're missing is the team. And that means we'll keep getting beaten by "lesser" teams that are actually teams.

Now, one can argue it's Conte's job to build that team mentality and cohesion. But the fact that he hasn't, and Jose couldn't, and Nuno couldn't, and even Poch couldn't at the end, suggests that maybe it's not all on them.

 

[ralphs bald spot]

But that's in comparison to what? The Sugar years? We were a cup team, won multiple trophies every decade. We were never a league side really but that's changed now. We're a league team who finish in Europe but have lost the cups that made us famous. Whats it been 3 times now we've heard people say "Spurs like a year ending in 1" and low and behold won nothing just like the previous 9 years. Even our fans are accepting this is as good as it gets like Redknapp said. Well that was until Poch came and did better so it is possible. Then rather than push on for glory we keep it cheap and let the squad decline again. We have this bullshit logo that says to dare is to do and we dare to do what? Win the odd big match and fight for top 4. It's not terrible to be where we are but if this is as good as it will get don't bother building the stadium and stop charging the highest price for tickets.

but football has changed whether you like or not winning the League Cup or FA Cup is nice and a decent day out for us all but the emphasis is on finishing top 4 thats where football has gone not just Tottenham how we all celebrated beating the lot down the road just last season to qualify that was supposed to have been the biggest North London derby since the Gazza game - I agree we ought to be making more of an effort in the cups and not sending weakened side sides but that's modern football the cups don't have the same meaning anymore so being a cup side soon loses its appeal -

Firstly look at playing decent front foot posession based football that entertains people

 

[FinnYid]

What? You totally contradict yourself talking about Arteta having lower wages but we need sportwashers because our wages are too low.

No I'm not as it was about Conte:

Well if it's about fitting in a checkbook manager like Conte who can only compete with big fat checkbook and leave on eurofootball fronts, then change of culture = takeover and become sportswashing machine for dirty money. That is the only way we will fit Conte.

There are managers that beat the odds, Conte isn't such.