Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[mpickard2087]

I'll put it succintly;

I can accept pragmatic football if it yields results and allied with a correct ruthless attitude in reaching our goals - primarily Cup success.

If that's not happening then it's a miserable waste of everyone's time, money and effort.

Many would say this, but I don't even think that is true. Ramos, admittedly results got worse and worse, from what I recall never got doubters off his back after the League Cup win. If Jose had done a smash and grab on City to win the cup but like 3 days later was back serving up park the bus tactics against the Dog & Duck 3rd XI then I'd bet there would have been plenty of pissed off punters calling for his head. Likewise with Conte, if he picked up a cup whilst overall we got "this" then I don't really see that winning hearts and minds.

Football is a constant, a team like ours plays every few days, fans these days can pore over every 90 mins and not rely on the snapshot of a tv highlights package of a match picking out the best moments like those of yesteryear had to.... If it's "not good" and you don't really enjoy what you see then you can't really escape it, and I don't even think the odd trophy or two would really placate most people for any length of time. Obviously be nice to put that idea to the test, but yeah.

 

[SUIYHA]

If you're thinking about whether you're "Conte In" or "Conte Out" - as a lot of people seem to be making it the binary choice, you need to consider what question you are asking. It should not be - "Am I satisfied with the way things are currently going". Because none of us are. It should be "Do I think Antonio Conte is the best man to take this club forward, into the next transfer window, into the next season, with new additions and further time to implement his ideas on the squad".

I don't see Pochettino getting much more out of the current squad. We have a horrific lack of creativity in midfield and an awful defence, most of which was awful when Poch was still here. This season is what it is. The question is about what happens next - assuming he still wants to be here then do we go into next season giving Conte more resources, more transfers to fix the gaps that have become apparent this season? Or have we got a better chance of success by giving someone else that task. Who is more likely to attract the players we want? Who is more likely to command the respect of those that we currently have that we want to keep?

Success is rarely a straight line - this season feels like a regression but if we just keep changing the manager every time there's a bump in the road then we'll never get anywhere. I'll remind you all how much Arteta was despised by that lot down the road after he'd led them to back to back 8th place finishes by the end of his second season. If the football wasn't so offensively bad to watch then I'd say we need to give Conte another season minimum. But it is, and if there is no obvious plan to rectify that part, then I'd say we have to part ways. Whether we do so now or at the end of the season is a different question.

 

[dtxspurs]

It baffles me that people say Conte
hasn’t been backed. It’s honestly crazy talk. He has been backed more so than any manager in the history of this club with player purchases and squad culling.

Since he arrived, the club have spent roughly £270m(including loan options + obligations) on transfers for him. They’ve taken huge losses on players they could’ve got better fees for E.g. Sissoko, Dele, Alderweireld, Doherty, Reguilon, Lo Celso & Ndombele albeit the last 3 are on loan as Levy/Paratici continues to be useless at actually selling players but that is beside the point as they still listened and got them out of Conte’s squad.

The only instances I can attribute to Paratici/Levy failing Conte is not signing him a top quality LCB and signing Spence when it was clear Conte didn’t want him. Even then, Conte’s complete refusal to even look at Spence let alone give him minutes on the pitch spoke volumes about his inability to actually coach players.

Yes, when we announced the “cash injection” I was expecting a considerably larger outlay but to simply say “Conte wasn’t backed, this is Levy’s fault” is wrong and agenda driven. Conte was backed enough to improve us. He’s made us much worse. That’s why he needs to go.

And to the fact that he hasn't been able to get a tune out of Richarlison, Bissouma, Spence, or Perisic shows that he's done a shit job.

 

[Hotspur33]

it's completely in character for him to make the wrong managerial choice. That couldn't be more levy

I dunno. He has tried most common variables: -
Club legend - Hoddle
Flavour of the month - Ramos, Santini
Young upstart - AVB, Poch
Premier league experienced- Redknapp
Proven winners - Mourinho, Conte.

Some will say there lies the problem, no fixed identity.
But then if he had stayed in one lane, we’d be crying out for him to try something different.

 

[muel]

My view has absolutely no baring or correlation to my view on the players or ownership.

Conte has been absolutely shit and needs to go.

 

[Hotspur33]

If you're thinking about whether you're "Conte In" or "Conte Out" - as a lot of people seem to be making it the binary choice, you need to consider what question you are asking. It should not be - "Am I satisfied with the way things are currently going". Because none of us are. It should be "Do I think Antonio Conte is the best man to take this club forward, into the next transfer window, into the next season, with new additions and further time to implement his ideas on the squad".

I don't see Pochettino getting much more out of the current squad. We have a horrific lack of creativity in midfield and an awful defence, most of which was awful when Poch was still here. This season is what it is. The question is about what happens next - assuming he still wants to be here then do we go into next season giving Conte more resources, more transfers to fix the gaps that have become apparent this season? Or have we got a better chance of success by giving someone else that task. Who is more likely to attract the players we want? Who is more likely to command the respect of those that we currently have that we want to keep?

Success is rarely a straight line - this season feels like a regression but if we just keep changing the manager every time there's a bump in the road then we'll never get anywhere. I'll remind you all how much Arteta was despised by that lot down the road after he'd led them to back to back 8th place finishes by the end of his second season. If the football wasn't so offensively bad to watch then I'd say we need to give Conte another season minimum. But it is, and if there is no obvious plan to rectify that part, then I'd say we have to part ways. Whether we do so now or at the end of the season is a different question.

I agree with what you’re saying.
IMO, I have serious concerns about Conte’s use of his squad.
Whilst his time with us has been short, he has really struggled when playing more than one game a week. Often a midweek game comes around and he looks disinterested. He flogs his preferred 11 to the point of injury regardless of form.
He says he can trust players like Gil, then NEVER plays them and sends them out on loan, only to replace him with another player he has no intention of using/trusting.
I am aware that this post could indeed apply to Poch during his time with us also.

 

[dtxspurs]

The thing that I genuinely can't understand is his insistence on the 3-4-3 formation. He didn't play it at Inter.

Why do we play it every game, every minute of every game?

No top team in the world plays with a 2 man midfield.

 

[rossdapep]

We may be 4th but I really don't think our form suggests we are the 4th best team.

Newcastle and Liverpool win their games in hand and we are 6th. Which is probably a truer reflection of where we are.

You have to then consider that Liverpool are suffering from burn out after the past few years theyve had and I don't think it puts us in good light.

Chelsea's self sabotage has elevated our position slightly too.

I know all the 'ifs' and 'buts' are only that sometimes.

But do people honestly think weve been close to United's level this season, let alone Arsenal.

And do people think weve been better than Chelsea or Liverpool? I'd say marginally, perhaps. But with 12 games left there's time for them to still finish strong.

If we do finish 6th, then we are right back where we were under Jose.

 

[spurs mental]

And to the fact that he hasn't been able to get a tune out of Richarlison, Bissouma, Spence, or Perisic shows that he's done a shit job.

Richarlison has been injured for about 1/4 of the season so far. Bissouma as well.

If you've watched Spence in the farmers league you'd understand why he never played for us.

Perisic has been massively underwhelming however

 

[g_harry]

It baffles me that people say Conte
hasn’t been backed. It’s honestly crazy talk. He has been backed more so than any manager in the history of this club with player purchases and squad culling.

Since he arrived, the club have spent roughly £270m(including loan options + obligations) on transfers for him. They’ve taken huge losses on players they could’ve got better fees for E.g. Sissoko, Dele, Alderweireld, Doherty, Reguilon, Lo Celso & Ndombele albeit the last 3 are on loan as Levy/Paratici continues to be useless at actually selling players but that is beside the point as they still listened and got them out of Conte’s squad.

The only instances I can attribute to Paratici/Levy failing Conte is not signing him a top quality LCB and signing Spence when it was clear Conte didn’t want him. Even then, Conte’s complete refusal to even look at Spence let alone give him minutes on the pitch spoke volumes about his inability to actually coach players.

Yes, when we announced the “cash injection” I was expecting a considerably larger outlay but to simply say “Conte wasn’t backed, this is Levy’s fault” is wrong and agenda driven. Conte was backed enough to improve us. He’s made us much worse. That’s why he needs to go.

Spending money and backing the manager are two totally different things.
Conte has not been backed, he wasn't given the players he wanted. Same with Redknapp same with Poch.

We are pretending to be a big club, Poch showed ENIC for what they are. Got us to top table of English premier League we were even the envy of Manchester United. Took us to a champions league final. They wouldn't back him, they wouldn't refresh the team. Cement your place there and come back for more. ENIC don't want that.

If we keep doing this then it really doesn't matter who the hell manages us we will always fail. We are basically Brighton only with slightly better budget pretending to be a big club.

So employing Mourinho & Conte is just a show.

 

[felmani26]

Many would say this, but I don't even think that is true. Ramos, admittedly results got worse and worse, from what I recall never got doubters off his back after the League Cup win. If Jose had done a smash and grab on City to win the cup but like 3 days later was back serving up park the bus tactics against the Dog & Duck 3rd XI then I'd bet there would have been plenty of pissed off punters calling for his head. Likewise with Conte, if he picked up a cup whilst overall we got "this" then I don't really see that winning hearts and minds.

Football is a constant, a team like ours plays every few days, fans these days can pore over every 90 mins and not rely on the snapshot of a tv highlights package of a match picking out the best moments like those of yesteryear had to.... If it's "not good" and you don't really enjoy what you see then you can't really escape it, and I don't even think the odd trophy or two would really placate most people for any length of time. Obviously be nice to put that idea to the test, but yeah.

I think (hypothetically) continually picking up silverware hides a multitude of sins personally with the end justifying the means.

There will always be the purists who believe football should be played a certain way but equally there are plenty who enjoy a team who can shithouse their way to victory.

Ultimately, we are just starved of success with a board that continually look for shortcuts with seemingly no desire to not only implement a plan fully, but even have the vision to establish one - certainly one they can convey to fans easily.

 

[dtxspurs]

Richarlison has been injured for about 1/4 of the season so far. Bissouma as well.

If you've watched Spence in the farmers league you'd understand why he never played for us.

Perisic has been massively underwhelming however

Richarlison has zero goals in 660 premier league minutes with 7 starts. Bissouma has missed 5/26 games.

Spence (ligue 1 team of the week) while has had some struggles has certainly shown ability and talent that at least owed him some gametime meanwhile Royal & Doherty were absolute shit until Royals recent turn around.

 

[spurs mental]

Richarlison has zero goals in 660 premier league minutes with 7 starts. Bissouma has missed 5/26 games.

Spence (ligue 1 team of the week) while has had some struggles has certainly shown ability and talent that at least owed him some gametime meanwhile Royal & Doherty were absolute shit until Royals recent turn around.

But he's been injured? It's hardly surprising that he got injured and has struggled for form with us. Same with Bissouma, he may have only missed 5 games but how can they get into a rhythm when they're unavailable for games, available and then injured again?

Spence has shown nothing to warrant being ahead of Doherty and Royal though. You don't get owed anything in this game. You earn it. And he didn't do enough obviously. Unless you were at training every day to suggest otherwise.

Hes struggled in Ligue 1, getting into team of the week isn't something that would lead me to believe he's ready for PL football. Its a shit league, theres a reason PSG havent won the CL. He was shocking in Europe for them too.

 

[Stamford]

I dunno. He has tried most common variables: -
Club legend - Hoddle
Flavour of the month - Ramos, Santini
Young upstart - AVB, Poch
Premier league experienced- Redknapp
Proven winners - Mourinho, Conte.

Some will say there lies the problem, no fixed identity.
But then if he had stayed in one lane, we’d be crying out for him to try something different.

They all have one thing in common though which is zero planning.

Hoddle is much like the poch appointment that feels imminent which is to try and win over the fan base.

Redknapp, Conte, Jose were all moments of panic when he was forced to make a call. Ramos and Santini there was an element of planning but even then he did it by screwing over Jol

 

[Nebby]

This is one of the most boring Spurs teams I’ve ever seen and I’ve been watching since the 1970s. This has nothing to do with Levy and everything to do with Conte. You could fill the squad with whoever you like, but if this is Conte’s way I hate it. Dull, unimaginative and risk averse.

 

[spursfan77]

The real slide happened after we lost Gian, coupled with what you’ve said and then Conte losing a close friend shortly after seems to have been the nails in the coffin.

The wins dried up but the for, was terrible from before then. We just have never looked the same as last season. In fact the only time we really did before then was forest away when we should have won about 5 1.

 

[Albertbarich]

I know Conte is a top coach but I can't bare the thought of another season of defensive boring football alongside this will he won't he stay soap opera.

Time to move on.

 

[-Afri-Coy-]

And to the fact that he hasn't been able to get a tune out of Richarlison, Bissouma, Spence, or Perisic shows that he's done a shit job.

Richarlison - injured twice this season
Bissouma - started slow, once he had momentum he got injured
Spence - isn’t exactly lighting the world on fire in what most people here would call a vastly inferior league
Perisic - the only one I’m willing to agree with, he is aging though and it was always a risk to bring him in to the PL

 

[spurs mental]

This is one of the most boring Spurs teams I’ve ever seen and I’ve been watching since the 1970s. This has nothing to do with Levy and everything to do with Conte. You could fill the squad with whoever you like, but if this is Conte’s way I hate it. Dull, unimaginative and risk averse.

Didn't watch us last season I guess.

 

[-Afri-Coy-]

The wins dried up but the for, was terrible from before then. We just have never looked the same as last season. In fact the only time we really did before then was forest away when we should have won about 5 1.

And yet we still sat comfortably in 3rd, having scored the 3rd most goals across the league at the time but we had also conceded the 3rd most goals too.

Once the attackers dropped off a cliff things started to sour. But up until then we were doing fine. You may not have seen it that way but numbers don’t lie.