Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[only1waddle]

Is he? I think he’s just firing some shots off on the way out. It’s his self-preservation kicking in as well as his contempt for the standard of player we have and the way the club is ran. He’s right but for the wrong reasons. This isn’t an attempt to improve us it’s a bitter, frustrated man lashing out as he exits.

Of course it's self preservation, that's been addressed, but I'm way past that tbh, it's a bitter frustrated man that is absolutely right about this situation, albeit not accepting the failure of his passive shit football, he needs top draw players to win and won't get them, can't improve players we have, but....
It might be coming from the wrong place but who else is going to say it publicly?
I've wanted this for ages now, I love his honesty because he sees what ENIC are, we all know it, just go with it.

 

[rossdapep]

I think people are in for a rude awakening if they think Enrique, Gallardo or whoever is gonna come in and suddenly get this team to press relentlessly and play in the front foot with intensity.

Some of these players don't have it in them and they'll use Conte's tactics as an excuse when in reality they struggle to play with high intensity and focus in general

 

[SargeantMeatCurtains]

I’ve calmed down and since thinking there was no way he wouldn’t be sacked, despite the fact he absolutely should be, I’m now fully expecting an article in the morning by one of the Spurs beat journalists, probably Ali Gold, following along the lines of “football.london understands that Conte’s passionate outburst was intended to produce a reaction from the players for future games and was not critical of the club or the board.”

Which would obviously be board-fed bollocks to calm the baying mob. I could also be wrong and we may (and should) wake up to a club announcement about Conte’s dismissal. Let’s see how the club twists it.

 

[chrisd2k]

I think people are in for a rude awakening if they think Enrique, Gallardo or whoever is gonna come in and suddenly get this team to press relentlessly and play in the front foot with intensity.

Some of these players don't have it in them and they'll use Conte's tactics as an excuse when in reality they struggle to play with high intensity and focus in general

Some of these managers might play to said average players strengths instead of watching them struggle to play a system they aren't suited to week, after week, after week...

 

[only1waddle]

I think people are in for a rude awakening if they think Enrique, Gallardo or whoever is gonna come in and suddenly get this team to press relentlessly and play in the front foot with intensity.

Some of these players don't have it in them and they'll use Conte's tactics as an excuse when in reality they struggle to play with high intensity and focus in general

The same is true of Poch also, it's not an easy fix, some players will be a whole lot worse, exposed in certain systems and others like Bissouma will be better.

#shitshow

 

[rossdapep]

Some of these managers might play to said average players strengths instead of watching them struggle to play a system they aren't suited to week, after week, after week...

Eric Dier in a high line?

Hojbjerg being asked to play high tempo 1 touch passing?

Son being asked to press more intensively and do more off the ball?

We have several players who need binning

 

[philip]

It doesn't matter if he's on our side. He's got a big enough ego for us to know that he wants to win. So that means all he cares about is winning. That for me is good enough.

I'm glad he said this. The players always get off without any blame despite being paid millions. Their job is to follow instructions and run. It's not complicated.

Anyone who is going to tell me that it's his job to motivate them needs their head examined. They are paid millions and somehow he's got to inspire them?? If I had an employee tell me they needed me to inspire or motivate them when we started a new project I'd telling to start looking for a new job. We, in the UK, seem to put so much responsibility on the managers head, and if it's not the manager it must be the board. When do the players take blame.

We've got Harry fucking Kane, the best forward in the world right now. Son, the best Asian player of all time. Captain of world cup winning France, a serie A defender of the year, an African Nations cup winner, and somehow with Spurs they always come up short. The mentality of some at the club is weak and contagious

Today had very little to do with the players mentality, and everything to do with a negative defensive mentality from the manager that tried to sit on a 2 goal lead against the bottom club and defend deep.

 

[dtxspurs]

I wonder what Conte thinks of the miracle that was Udinese beating Milan 3-1 today.

 

[SirNiNyHotspur]

don’t have a problem with anything he said, love his passion, appreciate that he had the balls to say it, culture of the club is rotten to the core, stench permeates through the players but clearly originates from the top,, another winner levying a loser, who could have predicted such a thing…

 

[SPURSLIFE]

I wonder what Conte thinks of the miracle that was Udinese beating Milan 3-1 today.

Everybody beats Milan these days. Oh wait a minute.............

 

[aussie spur]

Haven't read this thread recently so don't know where the consensus lies but just came on to say that I just watched Contes presser and am delighted that he came out like that. I think he's bang on and the main value of a winner high standards manager like him is to ensure that more is demanded of the club to implement a professional achievement focused football set up, otherwise we get the half arsed effort the club has put in to now.

Years of mediocrity and not being able to resolve glaring weaknesses influence the belief and attitude of the players and fans - some players then focus more on their welfare and other side issues and many fans only have the financial growth of the club as something to be proud of, and so accept the idea that finances will fix everything and bring success.... tomorrow...or next year...or...

 

[soflapaul]

Blame to go all around. If our primary goal is 4th this season, then Conte staying and the players stepping up is the only chance of that happening. Having read the entire quote in context now, if trust exists between Conte and the players, then what he said today won't turn the dressing room and could work to the team's benefits. Players know in their hearts when they are part of the problem. Romero's quote suggests that the players are aware of this. What is tough to swallow is Conte's rigidness which exposes so many of the player's weaknesses. .

Root cause is still Levy in his current role.

 

[JAYSTAR]

I'm sorry, but pointing out the obvious about Levy being tight and the club not investing etc is all very well and good, but in the end, when you're the coach / manager and you have players like we have to use, there is no excuse for losing to teams like Southampton and not responding to the in game changes that are occurring. Conte has no plan B. He is utterly stubborn and totally arrogant to think his 343 is the only way to play against all teams. The number of times we've needed two up front, so we can cross the ball in and cause havoc, and the number of times we desperately needed another man in midfield to stem the flow of through balls or possession, and Conte has done nothing except work out who he will blame this time.
We've had Son as a passenger on the field for most of the season, just like when Eriksen was totally out of form and wanting to leave and neither of them would tackle anyone because they're too concerned about injuries than playing for the team. But it is Conte who keeps picking Son.
It is Conte who keeps playing Richarlison out wide, when he's WAY better down the middle and in a two.
It is Conte who kept playing Emerson on the right when we needed someone to cross the ball in. Ridiculous stuff. Always trying to make his petty point about something or other, while we lose against bottom teams or get totally dominated by Arsenal's set-up.
He simply doesn't spot the tactics of the opposition team and nullify their attacks, but just sits there expecting something to happen. I want a manager who has a tactical mind, not just someone who plays tippy tappy football; possession football or whatever. We need someone who can adapt to and beat the team in front of us and who is willing to shut things down when necessary and change formation to control the game. Ward Prowse appearing in space all the time and getting the ball near the box could have resulted in a goal, just like when Partey was allowed to receive the ball under no pressure and scored his one.
Again, Conte did not change approach.
They lost their CBs, and Kane scores a header, what a surprise, maybe we should have exploited that more?!
Its not always rocket science.

 

[AnotherSpursFan]

Mourinho was not the problem, neither is Conte. Neither managers have asked the team to defend a one nil lead, so stop coddling these chicken hearted pussies including Harry Fucking Kane.

Whats the armband for? Speak up , ask for more accountability from your team. Danjuma has done more on this aspect in his 5 mins cameo than Kane has ever done.

 

[Jenko]

don’t have a problem with anything he said, love his passion, appreciate that he had the balls to say it, culture of the club is rotten to the core, stench permeates through the players but clearly originates from the top,, another winner levying a loser, who could have predicted such a thing…

Stench permeates through the players that Conte won't rotate and brought in (in a lot of cases). So some of that stench is Conte's.

 

[journeyman]

The performance of the coach is inseparable from the performance of the players. The former is hired to improve the latter. If the latter disimprove - as we unquestionably have this season - it’s on the former. 5 of our starting players today and all 4 subs used were bought within the last 2 years - the culture they bring to the club is down to the current coach, who is also answerable for why players from the older guard who don’t share his mindset are still starting games.

This is reputation management from Conte. Otherwise, if you say we need a clearout, and you’re supposedly on the side of the fans, then commit to see it through. But he won’t. And it’ll be back to square one with the new coach.

 

[DenverSpur]

I'm not going to defend Levy, but he has always said that his priority is the sustainability and best interests of the club. We've done amazing to get to the size we are now, but always in the back of his mind there must be reminders about clubs like Leeds.

That’s bollocks. It’s not about the amount of money we spend but how we spend it. Tell the manager/DOF what funds they have available and let them buy and sell who they want as long as they stay in budget.
Levy doesn’t do that. He overrules them buying cheaper options. He spends weeks haggling over transfers(in and out) just to save what are the grand scheme of things small amounts. He doesn’t have to spend bankrupting sums he just needs to give the football experts HE signed a budget and let them get on with it and stay out of their way.
Do you think he nit picked and penny pinched the architects and construction companies when they were designing and building the stadium? Do you think he overrode them and bought cheaper alternatives that they didn’t want or need?

 

[jolsnogross]

I think people are in for a rude awakening if they think Enrique, Gallardo or whoever is gonna come in and suddenly get this team to press relentlessly and play in the front foot with intensity.

Some of these players don't have it in them and they'll use Conte's tactics as an excuse when in reality they struggle to play with high intensity and focus in general

You have to want to play as a front-foot team in the first place. That would be a start. Conte has been making excuses all season but he's the leader of a side without character, morale, intent, or aggression. And it's his team. We've spent a fortune and he's not made them into a competitive team. A new manager that wants to play on the front foot would be a change for the better. He'll have his work cut out, but it starts from there. Conte just looks like a washed up check-book merchant at the moment...he's being exposed for a full season of mediocrity and he shares a decent chunk of the 'credit' for that with a shit-for-brains chairman, useless DoF, and gutless players.

Any manager that arrives with good intent and urgency and wants to transform this shit show into team will be an improvement on the incumbent.

 

[DenverSpur]

That is the point in paying for an elite manager. To make up for the short comings in the squad.

If you need elite players to play your system, you aren't an elite manager.

Tell Pep that.

 

[whitesocks]

I’ve calmed down...

Funnily enough, all his rantings at the poor old sports-journalists who were asking reasonable questions, has made me more angry with time.
These press conferences are the manager's chance to communicate with the fans, but I feel I've been shouted at myself!

We knew he was psychotic and I welcomed that as the players had been taking the piss. Mourinho didn't have the energy to strike fear into them.

But the players are looking casual again. Is he raging at them or has he given up as his contract comes to an end? They do need blasting, but shouting at me isn't going to help and for everyone else's mental health and safety, I think he needs sectioning.