Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Prior to yesterday everyone was up in arms regarding him still being here.

Fans are fickle.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Thing is it's easy to have this mindset or to feel that it makes sense after a win. Prior to yesterday everyone was up in arms regarding him still being here. I'm not saying sacking him now is 100% the right thing to do, I just mean the perception changes so easily. If we fail to beat Saints and Everton away all of a sudden it will once again look like we need to change something to salvage the season.

I just mean that I agree in that keeping him now seems the right thing, but I don't know how I'll feel if we conjure up two shit away performances next, which is far from outside the realm of possibility.

I'm very sceptical regarding where we stand as a team right now. The performance yesterday even though good, didn't really change anything for me in that regard.

Exactly this, I think the moment we come up against a better structured team we could well struggle. As you say, if we loose two in a row then what happens then, tbh if we loose even one and look poor then I reckon the fans will be baying for blood again. For me it too soon to say we should 100% stick with him until the end of the season but it is also the ideal situation for us if he can last. And really, so much of what happens to him hinges on what happens with our manager hunt.

 

[Cuore da Leone]

We need to win against Southampton!

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Exactly this, I think the moment we come up against a better structured team we could well struggle. As you say, if we loose two in a row then what happens then, tbh if we loose even one and look poor then I reckon the fans will be baying for blood again. For me it too soon to say we should 100% stick with him until the end of the season but it is also the ideal situation for us if he can last. And really, so much of what happens to him hinges on what happens with our manager hunt.

At this point, I think we are pot-committed to staying with Conte until the end of the season. Players are still playing for him. Its too late for a new manager to have any impact on this season.

So, win or lose, I think Conte will see out the year. And, then we are likely to start fresh in the summer.

 

[wrd]

I think that we shouldn't let results be the barometer of when (arguably if) we should let him go. What the decision should be based on is what is lined up to happen after. I think we make the same mistake with players, we say we must not sell a certain player but for me it doesn't matter who you sell, what matters is if you sell then who are you buying because you sold them.

So with Conte, if we were to let him go, what's the plan; what is the next approach, are we planning on a new DoF, are we planning on a new structure, who are the potential managers, do we have them ready, do they fit into the new plan.

If we don't know what we're doing, if sacking Conte leads to making a decision on hiring a new manager who then doesn't fit in with whatever we do with the structure of the club, then we have delayed progression even further. I want to know how letting Conte go is going to lead to progress. It shouldn't be based on whether we suddenly lose our next game, we shouldn't let him go chasing the top four either. He's clearly capable of getting us top four, personally I don't think Conte wants to be here otherwise I'd say that a consideration would need to be made on the option of him progressing us but that doesn't feel a goer despite what he's shown he's capable of at Inter.

 

[neogenisis]

We won. We played on the front foot. We won.


I’m sure you’ll say otherwise, but it really comes across that you’re actually furious that we won because it keeps him in a job.

That may not be fair or accurate, but that’s what I take from yours and other similar posts

You are wrong. I am glad we won , I always am. I do not want Conte at Spurs. I am not furious, it is how you are reading it.
I am going to say this and you wont believe me I'm sure.
If Conte signs a new contract, I wont be happy but I will swallow it and get behind the boys. I see nothing right now other then a fucking mess at the club I love, the board doesn't have a clue, the manager doesnt have a clue. I did not pick my club, I inherited it and I will support Spurs till the day I die. At least if Conte commits, at the very least we know where we are going.

 

[cjsimba]

We should only sack Conte if we have a concrete succession plan in place.

The danger is we are forced to make a quick and probably incorrect decision given the urgency if Conte loses the team and we are in free fall.

However yesterday showed Conte’s passion is still definitely there and the team are still playing for him. Therefore we can afford to wait to make sure we get the next appointment right.

 

[rossdapep]

Where's that Nicolas Cage gif?

 

[mil1lion]

The next manager would want to come in after the season ends anyway. No point changing manager before then. No better manager for going after top 4 than the manager who did it last year.

I wonder at this point if it would just be best if he announced he is not staying. That way the fans are not going to be as hard on him knowing he's going anyway. We might be able to relax and the atmosphere could be better for it. In fact even just putting more focus on Levy again because the negative reactions to Conte have put a stop to the Levy out chants. If we know for sure Conte is going because we can't match his ambition it gives us more reason to put pressure on Levy. Another manager comes and goes but this time making clear our ambition isn't high enough. We also don't need to worry about the style of football this season , just try to get top 4 again. In the meantime make it clear the next manager needs to be an attacking one.

 

[HedgieSpur]

You are wrong. I am glad we won , I always am. I do not want Conte at Spurs. I am not furious, it is how you are reading it.
I am going to say this and you wont believe me I'm sure.
If Conte signs a new contract, I wont be happy but I will swallow it and get behind the boys. I see nothing right now other then a fucking mess at the club I love, the board doesn't have a clue, the manager doesnt have a clue. I did not pick my club, I inherited it and I will support Spurs till the day I die. At least if Conte commits, at the very least we know where we are going.

Fair play.....much appreciated for your response

 

[mdharris]

Pragmatically, keeping Conte for the rest of the season is probably our best chance for Top 4.

But Levy and Paratici need to have our next manager lined up well before the season ends. It needs to be a planned and seamless transition. We can’t find ourselves in July and not yet have a manager appointed.

 

[Harrier]

The next manager would want to come in after the season ends anyway. No point changing manager before then. No better manager for going after top 4 than the manager who did it last year.

I wonder at this point if it would just be best if he announced he is not staying. That way the fans are not going to be as hard on him knowing he's going anyway. We might be able to relax and the atmosphere could be better for it. In fact even just putting more focus on Levy again because the negative reactions to Conte have put a stop to the Levy out chants. If we know for sure Conte is going because we can't match his ambition it gives us more reason to put pressure on Levy. Another manager comes and goes but this time making clear our ambition isn't high enough. We also don't need to worry about the style of football this season , just try to get top 4 again. In the meantime make it clear the next manager needs to be an attacking one.

Good points, but maybe they’re concerned about the player performances dropping off further if they know he’s definitely on the way out.

Could raise their game, could do the opposite, who knows?!

 

[whitesocks]

Exactly this, I think the moment we come up against a better structured team we could well struggle. As you say, if we loose two in a row then what happens then, tbh if we lose even one and look poor then I reckon the fans will be baying for blood again. For me it too soon to say we should 100% stick with him until the end of the season but it is also the ideal situation for us if he can last. And really, so much of what happens to him hinges on what happens with our manager hunt.

That's right. He has no over-draught facility in this bank after handing 6 points to arse.
Dip in the red again and he'll be aggressively targeted again.
It is all a bit precarious and you got to wonder why he wants to see this through. He has loads of money and he risks losing his reputation.

 

[mil1lion]

Good points, but maybe they’re concerned about the player performances dropping off further if they know he’s definitely on the way out.

Could raise their game, could do the opposite, who knows?!

As far as the players are concerned his contract runs out at the end of the season so I can't see it making a difference.
Players probably expect him to be leaving at this point. I see no reason now for him not sign a contract if he plans to stay. I mean what is he going to wait for now? He knows we're challenging for top 4 again now and he can't wait for transfers before signing.

 

[Metalhead]

Thing is it's easy to have this mindset or to feel that it makes sense after a win. Prior to yesterday everyone was up in arms regarding him still being here. I'm not saying sacking him now is 100% the right thing to do, I just mean the perception changes so easily. If we fail to beat Saints and Everton away all of a sudden it will once again look like we need to change something to salvage the season.

I just mean that I agree in that keeping him now seems the right thing, but I don't know how I'll feel if we conjure up two shit away performances next, which is far from outside the realm of possibility.

I'm very sceptical regarding where we stand as a team right now. The performance yesterday even though good, didn't really change anything for me in that regard.

It's definitely not all better after yesterday but I think that Levy will only be inclined to part company before the end of the season if there is a sense that he's lost the dressing room. I feel like Levy is going to want to play it safe now rather than risk a repeat of what happened with Mourinho. It's hard to imagine him staying beyond the season but I can't see him leaving before the end of it unless something dramatic happens and/or he has a robust succession plan in place.

 

[MightySpurs]

If conte stays and gets us top 4 I don't think we could say he has been a failure. Back to back 4th is impressive in this league

Wouldn’t have a chance on 4th, if Liverpool and chelsea hadn’t been so terrible this year. Not all on Conte

 

[Timberwolf]

At this point, I think we are pot-committed to staying with Conte until the end of the season. Players are still playing for him. Its too late for a new manager to have any impact on this season.

So, win or lose, I think Conte will see out the year. And, then we are likely to start fresh in the summer.

I think this is the smart approach regardless of whether we get top 4.

If we're smart we'll spend the next 2 months doing our due diligence and putting in the groundwork for the replacement manager, and probably DoF.

Rushing to appoint a new manager ASAP simply because they're available to gamble on a better chance of top 4 is too short-sighted. (plus saves us the Conte payoff)

 

[Albertbarich]

Best case scenario is Conte keeps winning at least until Paraticis case is sorted.

But yeah a top four place and an amicable split in the summer with a new DOF in place to choose the new man would be ideal

 

[bubble07]

Wouldn’t have a chance on 4th, if Liverpool and chelsea hadn’t been so terrible this year. Not all on Conte

Equally we would have had more of a chance if arsenal and Newcastle weren't so good this year

 

[AtoubaToothpaste]

I think that we shouldn't let results be the barometer of when (arguably if) we should let him go. What the decision should be based on is what is lined up to happen after. I think we make the same mistake with players, we say we must not sell a certain player but for me it doesn't matter who you sell, what matters is if you sell then who are you buying because you sold them.

So with Conte, if we were to let him go, what's the plan; what is the next approach, are we planning on a new DoF, are we planning on a new structure, who are the potential managers, do we have them ready, do they fit into the new plan.

If we don't know what we're doing, if sacking Conte leads to making a decision on hiring a new manager who then doesn't fit in with whatever we do with the structure of the club, then we have delayed progression even further. I want to know how letting Conte go is going to lead to progress. It shouldn't be based on whether we suddenly lose our next game, we shouldn't let him go chasing the top four either. He's clearly capable of getting us top four, personally I don't think Conte wants to be here otherwise I'd say that a consideration would need to be made on the option of him progressing us but that doesn't feel a goer despite what he's shown he's capable of at Inter.

For me, it's simple. Conte isn't staying; he'd have signed a longer-term contract by now if that was his intention. So really, it comes down to what's next and will removing him now help expedite that? Anything else is just wishful thinking, IMO. He's not suddenly going to change all signs pointing to him leaving and stay for the long term while Levy backs him. It's all a pipe dream, and we all know, whether some want to admit it, it's not going to happen (regardless if you want it to or not).