Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[HNIM]

It's really critical for his plans that either we win the group in ECL, or crash out fully. I took a look at the fixtures lists and dates for all competitions, and if Spurs don't have to play the knockout ECL stage for finishing second in the group, then between Jan 1 and Feb 5, they will have 1 FA Cup match, Arsenal, and Chelsea, with a full 2 weeks off between Chelsea and the Feb 5 Round 4 FA Cup match, if they can avoid a round 3 replay. In a good scenario, we could have a CB and midfielder in by the time of the Chelsea match (the 23rd) and they would have two weeks to train and bed in. January would not quite be a preseason, but it could come close to it. I know it's very unlikely, but I wanted to put it out there, so that just in case it works out that way, I GUARANTEE you I will bump this post on January 24th.

 

[EQP]

Hey all apologies if this is off topic. But do we have a chat / thread about which players have been called up.

I just want to know which of the squad are going to get the full conte treatment over the next 2 weeks?

These are the 1st team players that Conte will have to work with during the break. Add in the academy players and he has a decent bunch to work with.

Dele
Winks
Dier
Lucas
Ndombele
Gil
Reguillon
Sessegnon
Gollini
Brandon Austin
Tanganga

 

[PCozzie]

The point is that it is not Levy’s job to judge the player. If the DOF wants him and he is within budget then the chairman should buy him.

I think this is more or less right, but only to a certain extent. More frequently a manager stays at a club for 2-3 seasons if not successful, and sometimes even if they are so. A player, though, is often (if in early to mid 20's) signed for 5 years. That player is more often than not going to outlast the manager at a club.

The chairman is going to have to consider what the 'exit strategy' (ugh) is for that player. He might be Conte's absolute must have, but will (eg) Pochettino want him? Does he only fit Conte's system, or will he thrive in a different set-up? Will we have an unhappy player on high wages and depreciating value that a new manager can't fit into his team?

In short, is the chairman buying Conte his favourite toy, or is he buying an investment for the club? Inevitably the chairman needs to understand, and on some level 'judge' the player.

(This isn't about Conte, or Levy, or Spurs particularly. Just an observation about buying players).

 

[ShelfWatcher]

The ECL is a tricky one, I so want us to win that trophy.
I understand for the powers that be that top 4 is probably priority.
Good luck to Conte in balancing all the four competitions, because I so want us to beat West Ham in the Lge Cup too ?
Just have to see where our squad takes us I guess.

 

[homer hotspur]

It's really critical for his plans that either we win the group in ECL, or crash out fully. I took a look at the fixtures lists and dates for all competitions, and if Spurs don't have to play the knockout ECL stage for finishing second in the group, then between Jan 1 and Feb 5, they will have 1 FA Cup match, Arsenal, and Chelsea, with a full 2 weeks off between Chelsea and the Feb 5 Round 4 FA Cup match, if they can avoid a round 3 replay. In a good scenario, we could have a CB and midfielder in by the time of the Chelsea match (the 23rd) and they would have two weeks to train and bed in. January would not quite be a preseason, but it could come close to it. I know it's very unlikely, but I wanted to put it out there, so that just in case it works out that way, I GUARANTEE you I will bump this post on January 24th.

What about potential 2 x league cup semi final?

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

I think this is more or less right, but only to a certain extent. More frequently a manager stays at a club for 2-3 seasons if not successful, and sometimes even if they are so. A player, though, is often (if in early to mid 20's) signed for 5 years. That player is more often than not going to outlast the manager at a club.

The chairman is going to have to consider what the 'exit strategy' (ugh) is for that player. He might be Conte's absolute must have, but will (eg) Pochettino want him? Does he only fit Conte's system, or will he thrive in a different set-up? Will we have an unhappy player on high wages and depreciating value that a new manager can't fit into his team?

In short, is the chairman buying Conte his favourite toy, or is he buying an investment for the club? Inevitably the chairman needs to understand, and on some level 'judge' the player.

(This isn't about Conte, or Levy, or Spurs particularly. Just an observation about buying players).

But, this is why there is a DOF - its his job to make those long-term calls, not Levy's.


And, if you think the DOF is just a short-time position, and Levy still needs to make the ultimate call, then we never should have hired a DOF.

 

[HNIM]

No

What about potential 2 x league cup semi final?

Not until Feb

 

[Chris Finch]

No
Not until Feb

Beginning of January

 

[McFlash]

But, this is why there is a DOF - its his job to make those long-term calls, not Levy's.


And, if you think the DOF is just a short-time position, and Levy still needs to make the ultimate call, then we never should have hired a DOF.

And maybe our DoF wasn't particularly sold on the idea of Traore, or Nuno?
Maybe Paratici wasn't particularly pushing for the signing and it wasn't all down to Levy saying "no"?

We're only piecing together the scraps of information we manage to gather, none of us know what happened.

 

[Metalhead]

I think this is more or less right, but only to a certain extent. More frequently a manager stays at a club for 2-3 seasons if not successful, and sometimes even if they are so. A player, though, is often (if in early to mid 20's) signed for 5 years. That player is more often than not going to outlast the manager at a club.

The chairman is going to have to consider what the 'exit strategy' (ugh) is for that player. He might be Conte's absolute must have, but will (eg) Pochettino want him? Does he only fit Conte's system, or will he thrive in a different set-up? Will we have an unhappy player on high wages and depreciating value that a new manager can't fit into his team?

In short, is the chairman buying Conte his favourite toy, or is he buying an investment for the club? Inevitably the chairman needs to understand, and on some level 'judge' the player.

(This isn't about Conte, or Levy, or Spurs particularly. Just an observation about buying players).

I understand your point although inasmuch as it is ever possible to think long term about a signing, I'd say that the continuity would be down to Fabio more than Daniel as the ins and outs are, or should be his area. I would hesitate to call a player that Conte has chosen a 'favourite toy' as that suggests that it's an indulgence whereas I think that anyone that Conte wants would be seen by him as essential for his set up and for the success of the team rather than a luxury.

 

[tony0379]

 

[spids]

Another really good read on the Athletic:

Part 1...

To get a sense of Antonio Conte’s first week at Tottenham, the scene at Hotspur Way on Friday lunchtime should give you a good indication.

It was technically Conte’s first full day in charge (his work permit had been approved the previous morning) and, as has been a recurring theme over the last week, he wanted to make up for lost time.

The previous couple of hours had been utterly exhausting for the players, and they were recovering from their exertions. Most were walking gingerly, nursing a stiff leg or back or other aches and pains, and looking as though they had just run a marathon. A few gave a grin of satisfaction and described themselves as “dead” — echoing Giorgio Chiellini’s description of how players feel after training under Conte: “Not tired — dead”.

Some of those involved had played in the 3-2 win against Vitesse Arnhem the night before and 12 hours later, were then training at a level of intensity they had not seen since the days of Mauricio Pochettino. One of the Spurs players’ output is said to have been 75 per cent of what it would normally be in a match. Ordinarily, players would spend Fridays after a Thursday night game in the gym or swimming pool. Instead, they were being pulled around by Conte as part of his famous 11 vs 0 “shadow training” exercise.

Around the club, there is a view that the players have got more out of Conte’s first week than Nuno Espirito Santo’s four months in charge.

Because it wasn’t just the training session on Friday that stood out. Before getting on the grass, Conte had subjected the players to a video analysis session of the Vitesse game that had been scheduled to last 20 minutes. It ended up taking 75 and meant training didn’t start until 11.45am, almost an hour after it had been due to begin.

The night before, Conte told the players following the Europa Conference League win over Vitesse that although he was proud of the way they had “suffered”, they needed to be in better physical condition. He made it clear that this was the last time he ever wanted to see overweight players, that their current levels were unacceptable, and that the team’s mentality had to change.

To help restore his players to their physical peaks, Conte has already revolutionised the club’s approach to nutrition. He believes that a handful of the club’s players are overweight, and has cut out heavy food and sandwiches after training, and taken away ketchup and mayonnaise. He has also cut down on fruit juice and cooking with oil and butter, and wants the players to eat more fruit.

Fitting in everything has been a challenge, and after that lengthy video analysis session on Friday, Conte was late for his press conference, for which he apologised profusely.

But he makes no apologies for working the players so hard, or for the fact that he has so much information he wants to get across, and that doing so may take a while.

This will be done partly through an increase in team meetings and video analysis sessions. These, along with insisting the squad all eat lunch together, have been some of the staples of Conte’s initial few days at Hotspur Way.

This is how Conte’s first week at Spurs played out…

---

The last 10 days or so have been a whirlwind for everyone at the club. Starting with the home defeat to Manchester United on Saturday, October 30, followed by Nuno’s sacking two days later and Antonio Conte’s appointment barely 24 hours later, there has barely been time to breathe.

Conte has set the tone for that feeling of having so much to do, but far too little time. The absence of a pre-season means he will have to condense the usual weeks of summer training into the spare hours and days between games that the team’s busy schedule allows. Conte acts as though there aren’t enough hours in the day, and he and his staff have been arriving for work earlier and leaving later than was customary under Nuno.

Before his official unveiling on Tuesday, Conte slept at the club’s luxury accommodation The Lodge on Monday night. He met with the players on Tuesday afternoon, and in a team meeting before their afternoon training session, told them how important it was that everyone stuck together after a difficult start to the season. He promised that there would be no favourites in the squad and that he would do everything in his power to help them win, as long as they were all completely dedicated to the project. He also stressed the importance of the players enjoying their football again in the wake of a bruising couple of months.

Because his work permit hadn’t been approved, Conte wasn’t able to lead the subsequent training session (or the one on Wednesday) but he watched on and conveyed how hard he expected the players to push themselves in matches and on the training pitch. He was also able to introduce some of the patterns of play he wants to see, with Lucas Moura’s goal against Vitesse at the end of a long passing move coming straight out of the Conte playbook.

Moura drops short to receive a pass from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

He plays the ball forward to Harry Kane and sprints into the space

Kane knows where Moura will be and slides a pass through
The players responded to his instructions and positive energy straight away, buoyed by the hire of someone with such a glittering CV. Athletes are always subject to accusations of coasting but the reality is that the vast majority want to push themselves to their maximum. That is how they have made it to the top of their sport.

For the Spurs players, it has been re-energising this last week to have that feeling again of being tested. They know that after a couple of years of losing the physical edge they gained under Pochettino, they are working their way towards being back in peak condition. Conte has made clear to them that there will be no comfort zone under him, that no one can become complacent or too comfortable. He has standards and if you don’t meet them, you will know about it in no uncertain terms.

This kind of messaging has reinforced the feeling at the club that Conte’s arrival means there cannot be any excuses anymore. The players can’t hide behind misgivings about the manager or the lack of fitness or tactics, and the hope is that this will push up standards for everyone.

“He has a great personality, great ideas about football,” Tottenham’s captain Hugo Lloris said of Conte on Wednesday. “He will bring his passion, energy and knowledge of football. We are here to work and deliver the best every day. Bring intensity into our training sessions. Bring focus 100 per cent every day in every single session and he will help us to deliver better performances in the competitions.”

In those first couple of days, Conte wanted to foster a sense of togetherness straight away. He insisted the whole group ate lunch together at midday and explained that this was non-negotiable. Under Nuno, this kind of thing had slipped — yes, the head coach wanted the players to eat together, but if it didn’t happen there weren’t really any consequences. The players also saw those alterations made to their diet, with Conte explaining how the changes would lead to rewards on the pitch.

There has been pretty much universal acceptance of Conte’s methods from the players because he has the track record to prove that they work and the clear and concise way he is getting across his message.

 

[spids]

Part 2...

In general, Spurs staff have noticed how precise Conte is about every last detail. Whereas Nuno identifies himself as a head coach who sees his domain as the training ground and was happier to accept certain structures that were already in place, Conte wants everything done his way.

As well as the players’ nutrition, Conte has already sought to transform team meetings and video analysis sessions.

Meetings with the squad were a rarity under Nuno, but they are very important to Conte in fostering unity and the sense that everyone is clear about what the team is trying to achieve.

Video analysis sessions are similarly fundamental. As Italy manager, they lasted about an hour but at Chelsea, Conte cut them down to around 15-20 minutes after realising that shorter sessions would be more effective for that group of players. The session on Friday morning after the Vitesse game had been booked for 20 minutes but lasted nearly four times that as there was so much to get through. As with much of Conte’s first week, things may eventually calm down a little, but there is a lot of time to make up after missing the first few months of the season.

The video sessions have been led by Conte’s brother, Gianluca, alongside Spurs’ analysts, and he has impressed with his energy and enthusiasm. Antonio Conte had also watched a lot of Spurs footage before taking over, so already has a good handle on what they need to work on. Before the Vitesse game and after it, the Conte brothers had plenty to get across to the players.

Across Wednesday and Thursday, the head coach also impressed Tottenham staff with how respectful he was. The same was true of his coaches, who have come across as friendly and keen to work with the pre-existing Spurs employees in different departments, making a point of saying hello to everyone and shaking their hands in the morning. They have also been useful in helping their new colleagues understand what Conte wants and expects. In general, Conte’s arrival had the effect already of lifting standards, with Spurs staff looking at the dedication and diligence of the new head coach and his team and wanting to match it. Conte and his team are very intense and professional, and everyone from the analysts to the sports scientists wants to impress them.

It has been striking to everyone at Tottenham just how hard Conte and staff work. They operate in the same space Nuno and his team did, and are often seen sitting around the coaches’ table, very engaged in what they are doing. At Hotspur Way, they are close to inseparable. Despite the friendliness, when it’s time to work, there aren’t many lighthearted moments.

Conte’s visa was approved on Thursday morning before his first match that evening. The win over Vitesse was thrilling and at the final whistle, Conte stopped to shake hands with young supporters as he walked down the tunnel.

Conte was relieved his team had dug out the victory after being down to 10 men, but he told his players that they had to be stronger and would have to “suffer” (a key Conte mantra) a lot more.

The following morning he showed them exactly what he meant with that lengthy video analysis meeting and gruelling training session. After he had walked and talked them through the 11-v-0 exercise, it was onto an 11-v-11 game. The players ached, but their minds and bodies tingled with the buzz of being pushed beyond their comfort zone. It felt like the Pochettino era. Long days at Hotspur Way were a staple of Conte’s first week.

His first Premier League match followed two days later, as Spurs and Everton played out a disappointing 0-0 draw. But defender Sergio Reguilon said afterwards: “You can see on the pitch the team is more aggressive and more competitive. We believe in the things we’re working on in training. That’s the way. We have to learn too much under him. For me, it’s unbelievable.”

In reality, it could be weeks, even months before we see the benefits of the hard work that is only just getting started under Conte. His first week rounded off on Monday and Tuesday with the players given a couple of days off after those two games in quick succession.

Those who are not on international duty will be back in this morning for double sessions, which Conte wasn’t able to fit in last week because of the constricted schedule. The players who will be taking part are looking forward to them and getting back towards full fitness — something that ebbed away under Jose Mourinho.

It’s only been a week but with so much to pack in, it’s felt almost like a month. And you get the sense that will be the case for the weeks to come as well.

The Conte era is well and truly underway.

 

[Albertbarich]

I love him.

He is going to sort us out isn't he.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

@spids thanks for posting that. Enjoyable read.

 

[PCozzie]

I understand your point although inasmuch as it is ever possible to think long term about a signing, I'd say that the continuity would be down to Fabio more than Daniel as the ins and outs are, or should be his area. I would hesitate to call a player that Conte has chosen a 'favourite toy' as that suggests that it's an indulgence whereas I think that anyone that Conte wants would be seen by him as essential for his set up and for the success of the team rather than a luxury.

It was a turn of phrase rather than implying an indulgence on Conte's part, and I did attempt to caveat that with my last sentence that this was more of a general observation about transfers and chairmen than about our club or manager. I just used their names as we are familiar with them and their position.

And I hear you about Paratici. It is of course his job to think long term, and there is no reason to believe he isn't. Not all clubs have the same structure though, and in those cases a manager going directly to a chairman with a request for a player should be met with questions about the player, and then a judgement call from the chairman as to whether it is a long term benefit.

Anyway, as this isn't about Conte specifically and is in danger of disappearing down a Levy/budget shaped rabbit hole i'll leave it at that.

 

[homer hotspur]

No
Not until Feb

No
Not until Feb

First 2 weeks in January according to what I looked up

 

[Dov67]

Really does feel like we have a proper pro in charge now.

Fitness levels drop off very quickly but take much longer to regain. It will take time, but for the first time in a long time I am excited

 

[Timberwolf]

That story really shows the difference in quality and application of managers within the league.

I'm sure Nuno wasn't lazy and was fully committed to the cause, but it's abundantly clear that Conte has taken things up about 5 notches: group unity, fitness, strategy, diet, drills...everything has improved significantly in the space of a week.

Occasionally you hear pundits debating 'do managers really make that much of a difference?' and I think the articles on Conte over the past few weeks have completely put that argument to bed. Sure, if you replace one mid-table manager with another, you might notice that much of a change, but if you bring in someone special the change can be humungous.

We've got an elite manager now who has elite expectations.

 

[ShelfWatcher]

It's scandalous that fitness levels dropped so much. Both players and coaches are to blame, and as some have said maybe life had got too cosy at Hotspur Way