Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Bluto Blutarsky]

They're using the "Be there for Conte's first game in charge..." line on the OS to sell tickets for the Vitesse game.

Dangerous tactic if he is only there watching.

He will be there and be introduced.

Spurs will be playing with his tactics, and players will be playing to impress the new gaffer.

Nothing wrong with marketing this as Conte’s welcome party.

 

[Duke of Northumberland]

In my view, notwithstanding Trix being far closer to the action than I am, the idea that Joe Lewis got involved to this extent, by-passing not just Daniel Levy but the Board of the Club, doesn't make much sense.
In my view, the reason that Conte has agreed to come to the Club now, but didn't a few months ago, is all to do with the financial health of the the Club having improved drastically but progressively since May, without Lewis's monetary intervention.
I think this also affected the Kane transfer situation.
At the end of last season the Club was in a dire financial situation. It had generated no income for over a year, with money just starting to trickle in from small crowds, but with no guarantee that this would continue if the Government decided to put the Covid brakes back on. It had a massive short term £175 million loan due for repayment in about a year with no means of funding it. It had tried to mitigate this massive problem both by use of the Covid furlough scheme and by a massive game changing investment from the ESL, but had had to backtrack on both of these measures by massive "holier than thou" pressure both from the media and the louder element of Tottenham fans.
Thus the Club was in a financial mess through no fault of its own. It was Covid induced and media worsened.
With regard to Kane and Manchester City, this situation gave them the idea that a transfer for peanuts would be successful, which is why, in my view, Kane was primed to let slip in the infamous Neville interview that he thought, to Neville's incredulity, that Tottenham would accept £100 million for him, and that in the end it was his, Kane's decision and he wanted his transfer sorted by the start of the Euros. They thought the Club had no alternative.
But the Club board had other ideas. A long term loan of £250 million with a low fixed rate interest was negotiated, which was a brilliant coup, a game changer, for which ENIC, Danlel Levy, Matthew Collecott and others have received nowhere near the praise they deserved. In my view this changed the future outlook of the Club and its benefit can't be underestimated.
This allowed the Club to play hardball on the Kane transfer, which was something neither Kane nor Manchester City had budgeted for.
It also allowed the quest to find a new head coach to include world-class personnel, including Conte, with more hope of success.
At this time there was a gradual relaxing of Covid restrictions with full grounds a distinct, though possibly temporary, possibility.
Thus the Club would have been able to provide a tempting probable future transfer capability. My suspicion is that Conte wanted more for the summer than the Club felt able to provide since if a further Covid shutdown had been implemented the Club would have been back to square one with regard to no income. So they had to call a halt to the Conte negotiations and go for less palatable options, on a wing and a prayer to Espirito Santo. In my view the heckling from the sidelines (and I mean mainly the media) meant that the search for a new head coach become unnecessarily difficult after the Conte deal temporarily collapsed.
During the last three months, income has only been limited by the entertainment on offer, which has still meant 50,000-odd crowds in other than the secondary competitions, plus lucrative use of the ground for NFL and World Championship boxing. Fingers crossed this income flow will continue, and this seems more and more likely as far as Covid restrictions are concerned. This has meant that the prospect of continuing good profits and funds availability for the Club is far more likely.
With the less than impressive performances on the pitch and their effect on crowds mitigating the financial improvement at the Club, it was always likely that Nuno Espirito Santo would be sacked before long. My suspicion is that Fabio Paratici kept up a constant dialogue with Antonio Conte during this time, as Conte was clearly Paratici's first choice, and that Conte had been impressed enough with the Club's stated vision and strategy to be prepared to join the Club in the summer, if available funds had met his requirements.
Thus when Nuno was sacked , Antonio agreed not to leave us all on our ownio in lightning quick time.
Others may disagree with my analysis, but I'd suggest that it is more plausible than Joe Lewis changing, as far as Tottenham Hotspur are concerned, the habits of two decades.
However, time may prove me wrong.

I remember the messaging coming out at the time was the Club stepped back from negotiations because they thought Conte was bonkers. As if he was throwing food around the room and screaming or something. Funny how things change.

I think they got scared by the rebellion on Saturday and the depth of Nuno's failure and needed the big announcement to get the fans back, so dug deep into the coffers. Now the messaging is Conte came because of Levy's "infectious enthusiasm", which doesn't sound like something he'd say, but never mind.

 

[EssexSH27]

Totally convinced already. Feels very big time appointment. Hope the players are feeling the same way and ready to go.

 

[The Scarecrow]

I rate Conte higher than Klopp personally. Klopp only recently started to win titles, only 1 pl title too. Conte has done it at multiple different clubs now. Tuchel is still to prove himself over time too. The only manager above him I feel is Pep but it's close. He's similar to where Jose was before he returned to the pl. Hopefully doesn't go the same direction his second time in England.

I agree. I think Klopp's football is more attractive (although I really like Conte's style too), but Klopp's success with Liverpool is largely due to them hitting the jackpot in the transfer market. Now Klopp definitely has played a part in Salah and Mane being so good, because they're so perfect for his style. But they've done well in the transfer market by signing Salah and VVD in partiuclar, rather than the dross other big clubs have spent their cash on, and those two have been the difference makers imo.

 

[Qualsonic]

I must now be officially “old”, because all I could think whilst watching that was “what the fuck is that awful racket?” .

My kids are Italian, I've heard this track quite a lot over the last summer...?

 

[YB123]

He will be there and be introduced.

Spurs will be playing with his tactics, and players will be playing to impress the new gaffer.

Nothing wrong with marketing this as Conte’s welcome party.

Yep dont blame them for that marketing ploy. I mean its a bit cheeky to charge £25 for a conference game. I'd have made kids about £5 and adults no more than £20 but hey ho.

 

[popstar7]

I think what Klopp and Guardiola instill is every player knowing exactly what they should be doing in any situation. Where to run, when to run, who to look for. No hesitation, no respite for the opposition. Conte has that too. I'm very optimistic about what he can do with our players and who he and Paratici are going to bring in to make the system work.

 

[Kingellesar]

The thing that excites me this time, is that Conte has come here without any baggae and when he was ready.

When we got AVB after his Chelsea dismisall, it always felt like he was trying to prove them wrong rather than manage us. And with Jose, it felt again like he was trying to prove United and Chelsea that he is still the special one.

I feel Conte isn't coming here to prove anything to anyone and hopefully just focuses on getting us playing good football again and being competitive. Hopefully he is in charge for Vitesse, get a good win to start off with giving us a bit of momentum going into Sunday.

 

[Donki]

9

ENIC didn't invest 1.2 bn, they used the clubs income plus loans
I doubt ENIC have spent more than 140m of their own money, and are now sitting on a 2bn plus asset
It's fantastic they have got Conte in, and all credit to them for that.
It will be fascinating to see how they finance any excess spending this financial year. More loans, equity injection, who knows. I look forward to how this is going to work
Once again though massive congratulations to them for getting in what I hope will be our best manager since Billy Nick
Would even take best manager since Poch, as long as he wins something and gets us back as a top 6 side ?

Its much, much, much, less than that but to be fair to them they never pretended to be what they arent.

 

[ShelfWatcher]

Hi, I thought it was, but was erring on side of caution, and generosity to ENIC ??
In my memory it's about 100m, but what's 40m between friends ?

 

[thelak]

So can we now kill the myth that ENIC "has no ambition"?

I'm as excited as anyone, but the sheer number of fair weather fans we have is depressing.

A good call after multiple bad calls and a reactionary one at that doesn’t just erase the nonsense way the club has been managed on the pitch in the last few years

 

[freeeki]

I predict he makes an absolute worldie out of one of our down-and-out surplus-to-requirement players.

I hope it's Jack Clarke.

Absolute scenes galore when it turns out to be Doherty.

 

[chaching]

How are ENIC paying it back? If they sold tomorrow, would they take the debt with them or would it be left for the next ownership?

That debt is on the balance sheet as such it impacts the value of the club so if they sold the club tomorrow the new owners will take on the debt (or as you see it the club will carry on with the debt both are valid viewpoints) but the value ENIC would receive would be less than if that Debt wasn't there.

 

[Pekoni]

I predict he makes an absolute worldie out of one of our down-and-out surplus-to-requirement players.

I hope it's Jack Clarke.

Absolute scenes galore when it turns out to be Doherty.

Hope its Bergwijn.

 

[thelak]

I agree. I think Klopp's football is more attractive (although I really like Conte's style too), but Klopp's success with Liverpool is largely due to them hitting the jackpot in the transfer market. Now Klopp definitely has played a part in Salah and Mane being so good, because they're so perfect for his style. But they've done well in the transfer market by signing Salah and VVD in partiuclar, rather than the dross other big clubs have spent their cash on, and those two have been the difference makers imo.

Is that hitting the jackpot

Or fantastic scouting and squad development?

Even their flops like Keita aren’t too bad

 

[mmmdoughnuts]

Conte's instagram Spaghetti Mafia grime tune haha what a legend! Hope he puts this on before matches in the changing room, I can imagine him listening to this smiling at the spaghetti mafia but also being buzzing.

Just about made out the rap bit....something about "I don't eat pig because its haram" haha

 

[SonicSarr]

I predict he makes an absolute worldie out of one of our down-and-out surplus-to-requirement players.

I hope it's Jack Clarke.

Absolute scenes galore when it turns out to be Doherty.

I have a feeling he will turn Lo Celso into a worldie. Just a hunch.

 

[aussie spur]

This is worth a listen, even if you don't like the Extra Inch people (or 2 of them, which seems to be the usual number of them that people don't like)...

The guest journo does most of the talking and is very knowledgable (and makes me want to listen to The Italian Football Podcast, even though I don't really follow Italian football).

Thanks for this. That journo talked up Conte and his ability to lift us so much... players should listen to this, exaggerated or not, they will be pumped!

 

[Aay_Jay_Dee]

Is that hitting the jackpot

Or fantastic scouting and squad development?

Even their flops like Keita aren’t too bad

Agree - cannot compare as there are many factors at play to make a transfer successful. It’s rarely just luck.

We could’ve signed VVD under Jose or Nuno and he would just become another error prone defender. Mane another Moura.

Give credit where it’s due. Liverpool setup is excellent

 

[Dillspur]

That debt is on the balance sheet as such it impacts the value of the club so if they sold the club tomorrow the new owners will take on the debt (or as you see it the club will carry on with the debt both are valid viewpoints) but the value ENIC would receive would be less than if that Debt wasn't there.

Has it affected the value of the club? Wasn't there a rumor that the Saudi's were looking at us in the summer and didn't bulk at the 3(?)b asking price? That would mean Levy values us at 4b, or are we saying 3b less the debt of the stadium?

I feel my initial point still stands, ENIC did not invest 1.2b into the stadium it was all financed via the club and will be paid back off the back of the club