Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Jaddas]

Conte might be off in the summer, but the below quotes from todays news conference shows you can't question his commitment to us.

Tottenham assistant manager Cristian Stellini, speaking ahead of Sunday's Premier League match at home to West Ham, on Antonio Conte and his recovery from gallbladder surgery: "We have a call every day, many times in a day, probably three times, and every time he wants to come back.

"He repeats every day, 'I want to come back, I'm sorry but how was training, tomorrow we have to organise this, we have to organise the team, what do you think?' but he wants to come back. That is every time in his sentence.

"Coming close to the game, the stress, the tension he lives normally before the game creates some problems.

"When they check with the doctor, with the club, they spoke a long time about this and this was the decision. He needs to take it easy again. He comes back soon but not like he hopes."

More from Tottenham assistant manager Cristian Stellini on complications following manager Antonio Conte's rushed return from gallbladder surgery: "It's more important than football and this is the reason why the club, Antonio and the doctors made this decision.

"We don't know the time. The doctor has an idea but really it's a feeling from Antonio. That surgery was not easy, it was an emergency surgery and maybe he underestimated this.

"Antonio not 100% is not Antonio, and this creates stress."

 

[sidford]

Have to wonder if Poch was so dismayed with previous windows that he became so stubborn and adament about incomings

This is exactly it. What manager has ever turned down any signings in 2 windows?! He did it as he was sick of not getting his preferred choices and was given players like Sissoko (in his book he said that Levy effectively signed him without his knowledge)
History will repeat itself if he does come back

 

[jpascavitz]

We’re really not a ‘mess’. Everton are a ‘mess’.

We are in the champions league, we’re in the FA cup. We’re 2 points of fourth.

This is how the internet warps fans minds. Just constant drama. Everything is a talking point. We’re either in crisis mode or on a high, with no in between.

With the squad we’re building we could attract any top manager bar those already in jobs at elite clubs.

We were in a worst state when Conte took over and he still took the job.

I totally agree with this statement. I get so excited after wins but the amount of tweets I see of we're going to challenge for the title after a win, and the amount of Conte Out, we're horrible, bring back Poch tweets I see after a defeat is absurd!

I get there's some play in there, but the overall sentiment seems to swing from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows when in reality we're a decent inconsistent side that can challenge any XI in the world on a good day and lose to a Sunday league team on the worst day ?

 

[soup]

Are people gonna be happy if we lose playing an "attractive brand" of football?

Or are they just gonna be blinded by the loss and still be equally as pissed off?

I have my thoughts on it.

Kjaer said 'we all knew what we had to do to stop Tottenham'. That wasn't Kjaer talking about Dier having a brainfart, or like he had some crystal ball with visions of Forster making a howler or Davies making a clumsy challenge, it was because of Conte's predictable tactics and what they'd seen for weeks prior to the game and worked on them against us.

I'd say that attacking a bit more at least it gives us more options than just defend. We've recently seen the players talking up what a dangerous game it is to take on the mighty Leicester toe to toe and how we should be careful, suffer and don't make any mistakes. We practice all week in training to set up that way so we don't concede and stay tight. We work all week on keeping the opposition out and prioritise that over any attacking play. Result is, we look devoid on any attack and concede 4 goals.

Do you think we'd have lost 4-1 had we gone toe to toe with Leicester with exactly the same players? You could argue 'but hindsight!', but Conte also has the benefit of hindsight when he puts the next team out, yet he never uses it!

Different games call for different set-ups and whilst we wouldn't have the tools to go toe to toe with City every week we'd at least see different options and tactics. At the moment it seems we're scared of everyone and no one is at all scared of us.

 

[Spurzinho]

Exactly. Fans will be moaning about ‘not being able to get across the line’ the manager being ‘tactically naive’ and ‘no point playing pretty football if we don’t win anything’.

Same old shit. Rinse and repeat.

Surely its possible to have a middle ground where we try play football and have some pride in ourselves when its possible to do so but have a viable defensive strategy for games against our rivals?

 

[neogenisis]

Conte might be off in the summer, but the below quotes from todays news conference shows you can't question his commitment to us.

Tottenham assistant manager Cristian Stellini, speaking ahead of Sunday's Premier League match at home to West Ham, on Antonio Conte and his recovery from gallbladder surgery: "We have a call every day, many times in a day, probably three times, and every time he wants to come back.

"He repeats every day, 'I want to come back, I'm sorry but how was training, tomorrow we have to organise this, we have to organise the team, what do you think?' but he wants to come back. That is every time in his sentence.

"Coming close to the game, the stress, the tension he lives normally before the game creates some problems.

"When they check with the doctor, with the club, they spoke a long time about this and this was the decision. He needs to take it easy again. He comes back soon but not like he hopes."

More from Tottenham assistant manager Cristian Stellini on complications following manager Antonio Conte's rushed return from gallbladder surgery: "It's more important than football and this is the reason why the club, Antonio and the doctors made this decision.

"We don't know the time. The doctor has an idea but really it's a feeling from Antonio. That surgery was not easy, it was an emergency surgery and maybe he underestimated this.

"Antonio not 100% is not Antonio, and this creates stress."

I dont take alot of notice from Prezzers anymore, I actually think they are a bore fest with the same inane questions asked over and over again on repeat week after week. And as for Conte's commitment to us...... really? I question it every day.

 

[PaulThurston]

Conte might be off in the summer, but the below quotes from todays news conference shows you can't question his commitment to us.

Tottenham assistant manager Cristian Stellini, speaking ahead of Sunday's Premier League match at home to West Ham, on Antonio Conte and his recovery from gallbladder surgery: "We have a call every day, many times in a day, probably three times, and every time he wants to come back.

"He repeats every day, 'I want to come back, I'm sorry but how was training, tomorrow we have to organise this, we have to organise the team, what do you think?' but he wants to come back. That is every time in his sentence.

"Coming close to the game, the stress, the tension he lives normally before the game creates some problems.

"When they check with the doctor, with the club, they spoke a long time about this and this was the decision. He needs to take it easy again. He comes back soon but not like he hopes."

More from Tottenham assistant manager Cristian Stellini on complications following manager Antonio Conte's rushed return from gallbladder surgery: "It's more important than football and this is the reason why the club, Antonio and the doctors made this decision.

"We don't know the time. The doctor has an idea but really it's a feeling from Antonio. That surgery was not easy, it was an emergency surgery and maybe he underestimated this.

"Antonio not 100% is not Antonio, and this creates stress."

While I'm happy for Poch to come back if Conte were to leave (or get pushed) my preference is for Conte to stay and finish the job he's started. Another window to add a new goalkeeper and centre backs (and possibly replace Kane) then a real push to see how good that team could be next season.

Will it happen? That's out of my hands. It sounds like it's unlikely from the ITK reports but it's my preferred scenario.

For now I want Antonio to rest and get better while his staff guide us to FA Cup and Champions League quarter finals.

 

[CrazyKen]

 

[wrd]

I don't mean to be dramatic but reading the same conversation for the 4th year in a row and seemingly no evolution in our understanding of the issues makes me want to walk through a plate glass window land onto some cactus and then be dowsed in vinegar.

 

[Nerine]

I don't mean to be dramatic but reading the same conversation for the 4th year in a row and seemingly no evolution in our understanding of the issues makes me want to walk through a plate glass window land onto some cactus and then be dowsed in vinegar.

So things are getting better?

 

[SargeantMeatCurtains]

View attachment 122829

Conte was backed. More so than any other manager has been here. Although many will (correctly) argue he wasn’t backed enough, he was backed enough to improve on our performances last season which ended up being a pretty high level. Instead he’s taken us backwards.

 

[Gilzeanking]

Stellini's remark that he and Mason take responsibility for the team now will have gone down well imo.

So just maybe we'll see some flexibility from the management pair teamwise.

Looking forward to this partnership, maybe the players will feel a freshening effect, a mini new manager bounce.

I'm intrigued.

 

[JonnySpurs]

I don't really get it. If you look at the quotes from the presser it does indicate that Conte wants to see the job out til the summer. Perhaps its the personal drive to see it through and try to win a trophy with us. The problem with that is that it's a little selfish on his part if he truly doesn't intend to go beyond that point.

Football clubs need stability and long term planning. Frankly I don't give 2 shits want Conte wants IF he's not committed beyond the summer. I'd rather he goes now. He did a brilliant job last season to get us to 4th but it could be argued that this was helped by having 1 game a week for much of the 2nd half of the season.

We simply haven't got going this season. The football has been really poor. Is it because some of the players aren't good enough? I'm sure it's a factor but it's not the entire reason. He's been too stubborn with his system, slow with subs and inflexible around rotation, particularly for players lacking form for long periods.

My view is that the deaths of 3 close friends and major surgery have all had a huge impact on him. Being away from his family as well during this difficult time has led to a man that needs a break from the game. That's not his fault and he can't be blamed but ultimately he needs to let us go so that we can move on.

Sure, there's a chance that he stays, we make 4th, win the FA cup and then he rides off into the sunset with all our best wishes and thanks but lets be honest, the likelihood is slim. I feel it's more likely that he stays just long enough for the poor form to continue, we crash out of CL, FA cup and end up around up 8th with a handful of games left at which point he then leaves under a cloud.

If he goes now it could easily be pitched as an amicable separation, for the best of Conte's health etc and nobody really takes any blame. I know what I expect to happen.

 

[rossdapep]

I don't really get it. If you look at the quotes from the presser it does indicate that Conte wants to see the job out til the summer. Perhaps its the personal drive to see it through and try to win a trophy with us. The problem with that is that it's a little selfish on his part if he truly doesn't intend to go beyond that point.

Football clubs need stability and long term planning. Frankly I don't give 2 shits want Conte wants IF he's not committed beyond the summer. I'd rather he goes now. He did a brilliant job last season to get us to 4th but it could be argued that this was helped by having 1 game a week for much of the 2nd half of the season.

We simply haven't got going this season. The football has been really poor. Is it because some of the players aren't good enough? I'm sure it's a factor but it's not the entire reason. He's been too stubborn with his system, slow with subs and inflexible around rotation, particularly for players lacking form for long periods.

My view is that the deaths of 3 close friends and major surgery have all had a huge impact on him. Being away from his family as well during this difficult time has led to a man that needs a break from the game. That's not his fault and he can't be blamed but ultimately he needs to let us go so that we can move on.

Sure, there's a chance that he stays, we make 4th, win the FA cup and then he rides off into the sunset with all our best wishes and thanks but lets be honest, the likelihood is slim. I feel it's more likely that he stays just long enough for the poor form to continue, we crash out of CL, FA cup and end up around up 8th with a handful of games left at which point he then leaves under a cloud.

If he goes now it could easily be pitched as an amicable separation, for the best of Conte's health etc and nobody really takes any blame. I know what I expect to happen.

Why is it?

Conte was mostly brought in to win something, not build something.

So if we are still in the FA Cup and CL that represents 2 huge opportunities. If Levy fired Conte or Conte walked away now, that essentially says you have given up on the idea Conte can win something.

We're all impatient but whilst we can still win something, and Conte is driven towards that. We have to keep going.

I am of the opinion that Conte needs to rest up but if he believes he'll be okay and the doctors clear him then he still has objectives to reach

 

[neogenisis]

For *me* its really simple. If Conte wants to stay on past this summer then as much as I dont think he is right for it, lets get on with it. But as far as I can remember we have the option to extend, we havnt done that. So if all this smoke is coming from a place of he is off, especially after the year he has had then lets just shake hands and part ways so we as a club can move on.
I dont see what the difficulty is here.

 

[JonnySpurs]

Why is it?

Conte was mostly brought in to win something, not build something.

So if we are still in the FA Cup and CL that represents 2 huge opportunities. If Levy fired Conte or Conte walked away now, that essentially says you have given up on the idea Conte can win something.

We're all impatient but whilst we can still win something, and Conte is driven towards that. We have to keep going.

I am of the opinion that Conte needs to rest up but if he believes he'll be okay and the doctors clear him then he still has objectives to reach

Because the very fact that he hasn't committed has almost certainly impacted the harmony of the squad and it's affecting the way we're playing. Do you not think?

I agree that we brought him in to win something but he's said, many times, that he wants to build something, that it takes time to do this and we need to be patient and yet all the while he's not actually intending to see that through, apparently. If that's true then thats cool but ultimately I dont see why we prolong this until the summer. If we were playing great and winning every week then I could see why we would carry on but it's not been good all season and it's actually quite amazing that we still have so much to play for.

I dont want change for change sake. I just want to get back to the kind of stability and fanbase unity that we had in Poch's time. It doesn't have to be Poch in charge, just someone long term, progressive and with a desire to stay cos they want to. It's always felt like Conte is doing us a favour by being here and that's only supported by this news from Di Marzio today.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Do we need a Stellini thread whilst he is manager if Conte is going to be out for quite a few games or just keep it all in here?

Either way I’m interested to see if we get a bit of a mini ‘new manager bounce’ with Stellini & Mason likely to bring more positive energy than Conte has been able to because of the deaths of close friends and then operation he had.

 

[HedgieSpur]

I dont take alot of notice from Prezzers anymore, I actually think they are a bore fest with the same inane questions asked over and over again on repeat week after week. And as for Conte's commitment to us...... really? I question it every day.

The fact that you question it every day is a reflection on you and your bias against Conte.

He has had serious emergency surgery and attempted to come back to the touch line early (looking like death) and you’re questioning his commitment? GTFOH

 

[Yiddo100]

Do we need a Stellini thread whilst he is manager if Conte is going to be out for quite a few games or just keep it all in here?

Either way I’m interested to see if we get a bit of a mini ‘new manager bounce’ with Stellini & Mason likely to bring more positive energy than Conte has been able to because of the deaths of close friends and then operation he had.

There me already one made

 

[-Afri-Coy-]

Stellini and Mason work with Conte, they aren't going to make the drastic changes some of you are hoping for.

It will largely remain the same (bar maybe some changes to the line-up) tactically so when Conte returns it will be a smooth transition.

We didn't beat City using their tactics, we beat City by them implementing Conte's tactics.

It's going to be much of the same until he is back in the dugout.

Logic dictates here not fantasy.