Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[glacierSpurs]

I can't help but feel that this outburst is partly brought on by some of our home 'fans' who boo and groan at every opportunity. I'm surprised they haven't got the fucking hankies out yet. Blah blah high prices cry me a fucking river, build a bridge and get the fuck over it.

The guy is an emotional wreck. We all knew this when we hired him. The very same posters that wrere "conte, conte, conte, conte" ad nauseum in the summer are now sticking the knife in. The very same posters that blamed Levy for not getting Conte in the summer will no doubt blame Levy for going with Conte if and when it all unravels.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. A large section of our 'support' are a part of the problem and I wish those fans would just fuck off and 'support' someone else.

And we will soon see the romance for Poch to come back (actually already started from some ridiculously), only to call him out again when he mumbled his way out saying the team did brilliant with his stubborn face.

I swear some fans are actually enjoying more of the club's mishaps then celebrating any positivity.

 

[Ossie'sAardvark]

Sounds like there's a "plan" doesn't it.

 

[ohtottenham!]

Bet he just threw his hands up when he realised Bentancur had to go off. Feels like he can't win.

Agree, and I think it's just another contributory factor in Conte's expression of frustration. I may be in a minority re my view, but I wasn't too unhappy with the performance yesterday given all context - the state of our squad and our own expectations; hated the result obviously.

Conte's trying to deal with the hand he's been dealt re...our obvious squad shortfalls in many critical areas; untimely injuries in those same critical areas; trying to integrate good signings to address our weaknesses, which he's done very well to my mind.

We get our first choice CBs back from the injury/fitness issues which really cost us in recent games, and also have had to deal with an injury to a key CM in Skipp after shipping three CMs out of the club; Conte himself may take some blame for the latter situation.

WBs clearly not top quality given his preferred system; a key setback re Reguilon's availability too. I really like what Betancur and Kulu are providing to this team after just a few games. These are players that can do the job against different oppo PL setups...but they've only been here two minutes.

Soon as Bentancur was off, there was very little coming in creative terms from our CMs re opening up the Burnley defence; that could have been predicted given our available, razor-thin CM options.

I don't like Conte's public expression of frustration despite the fact that he can't seem to catch a break but I understand it...

As usual, let's see how coach and players respond in our next game/s. We can't do much else.

 

[shelfboy68]

Agree, and I think it's just another contributory factor in Conte's expression of frustration. I may be in a minority re my view, but I wasn't too unhappy with the performance yesterday given all context - the state of our squad and our own expectations; hated the result obviously.

Conte's trying to deal with the hand he's been dealt re...our obvious squad shortfalls in many critical areas; untimely injuries in those same critical areas; trying to integrate good signings to address our weaknesses, which he's done very well to my mind.

We get our first choice CBs back from the injury/fitness issues which really cost us in recent games, and also have had to deal with an injury to a key CM in Skipp after shipping three CMs out of the club; Conte himself may take some blame for the latter situation.

WBs clearly not top quality given his preferred system; a key setback re Reguilon's availability too. I really like what Betancur and Kulu are providing to this team after just a few games. These are players that can do the job against different oppo PL setups...but they've only been here two minutes.

Soon as Bentancur was off, there was very little coming in creative terms from our CMs re opening up the Burnley defence; that could have been predicted given our available, razor-thin CM options.

I don't like Conte's public expression of frustration despite the fact that he can't seem to catch a break but I understand it...

As usual, let's see how coach and players respond in our next game/s. We can't do much else.

Even without the injury last night it was clear watching the game that we were getting nothing from it.
Giving away stupid free kicks was always going to be a problem for a team who are weak on set piece play like us it was an accident waiting to happen.

 

[shelfboy68]

Context is always key

“I need to talk to the club. Tottenham have to make an assessment about the club, about me. We need to find the best solution. I can’t accept to keep losing. I’m sorry”

“Here coaches change, but players are always the same... but results don’t change…I came in to improve the situation but at this moment I’m not so good to improve this situation…The reality is there’s something wrong. I don’t want to close eyes. I want to help Tottenham. I’m too honest to close my eyes and continue in this way. Also to take my salary. It’s not right at the moment.”

he’s taking responsibility, but making clear there are limits

he’s also saying “back me or sack me” in a roundabout way

he’s not wrong. Just look at the state of our bench today. We barely have 11 players worthy of the top 8 - never mind top 4

That's because we are barely a top 8 club these days and getting worse.

 

[ohtottenham!]

Even without the injury last night it was clear watching the game that we were getting nothing from it.
Giving away stupid free kicks was always going to be a problem for a team who are weak on set piece play like us it was an accident waiting to happen.

First point I disagree with. It takes time to break down a team like Burnley; the current Burnley especially. Losing Bentancur for the second half was huge in terms of our very limited, creative options in CM, compounded by our weak WB options.

Second point, you're spot on imo. That wide set-piece threat "was an accident waiting to happen."

 

[allatsea]

There is something fundamentally wrong with our club but I don't know what it is. My love for football is dying

 

[shelfboy68]

There is something fundamentally wrong with our club but I don't know what it is. My love for football is dying

Your love is dying because the club is.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

When Poch returns

We’ll break him again.

Besides, didn’t Poch go all batshit on the eve of the CL final, saying he might leave the club in a perversely self destructive act akin to telling your wife on your wedding night you have the hard ons for Carol at the Post Office

 

[shelfboy68]

Conte is an emotional character but whoever is in charge is doomed to fail it's in the clubs DNA to fuck up like last night so nothing new to report.
We are not fighting for top four or indeed top six anymore but instead hanging on the coat-tails of eighth, that is where we are now as a club it's grim but we have to accept it.
We have wonderful infrastructure the lure of NFL set up which has always been the plan, with the anchor tenant being the football club drifting out to mid table wankers.

 

[spurs-r-us]

I'm in two minds about this.

On the one hand, I can see why Conte would feel this way. However much people spun it on deadline day (and spam-reacted others who disagreed), we had a shocker of a window. Our main problem areas were RWB, CB, a creative centre midfielder and someone up top.

Paratici brought in two players. Bentancur looks handy, he can clearly pick a pass, but he's also had the same criticisms levelled at him when at Juve that countless Spurs mids have faced for years (from Jenas to Sissoko). Inconsistency, a lack of a proper position, a bit vanilla. What does he bring to a midfield two or a midfield three that any top six rival is coveting? From what I know of his time at Juve, being brutally honest, not a great deal. He is still young enough to improve, but he's not a kid.

Kulusevski felt like a good buy to me. Lost his way at Juve after a brilliant few seasons but, at 21, clearly has talent to burn. He's also not the finished product, as Conte indicated after Wolves, and that showed this week. Put in a blinder against City but was fairly quiet most of tonight and struggled to make a huge impact when we needed a goal and some creative impetus and Son was struggling. For this season - stick him in the Moura and Bergwijn basket of 'wingers who are quality on their day but lack consistency'.

We are still playing Davies at centre back, Winks is still a viable option as a starter or off the bench despite losing that brief spell of reasonable form he found, Emerson and Doherty are amongst two of the worst right backs I've seen at Spurs or at any top-half club for years.

Paratici wasn't the DoF for Conte at Juve, but they obviously had a relationship. I really don't think Fabio has helped Conte (or before that, Nuno) with his business since he arrived.

Romero - stud, brilliant player.
Gollini - loan goalkeeper, looks poor but not really an issue as the second choice.
Emerson - genuinely one of the most lost footballers I've seen. Wouldn't look out of place in the second division.
Gil - we spent £25m and Lamela of our limited budget on a young chap who wasn't ready for the PL. Looks a good prospect long term but we had so many holes to fill and this is how we spent our modest budget. I've said this all year and been flamed for it.
Sarr -looks a good prospect, glad we snapped him up

And this is the bloke who, if Conte stays, we're looking at to rebuild the squad. Consider me skeptical.

On the other hand, pull your head in, Antonio.

Yes Spurs in 2021 was below the level you could have accepted if you'd held out. But you didn't. You decided to come here on fucking good money and, after a bright start, our recent form is as bad as it has been since the Ramos days.

3 points in 5 games isn't 2 in 8, but it isn't a million miles away given the quality of some of the opposition. I have a lot of faith in Conte, but you aren't going to fix this form by running your mouth off every time we lose and turning it into an existential crisis.

There's clearly a tactical flaw that worse sides than us are exploiting. The same tactics, mind you, that beat City's high line. But that's the point, why are we doing the same thing against different opposition and not expecting different results.

I have a lot of sympathy for him that he pretty much has to play ill-equipped players like Davies, Sessegnon, Emerson, Doherty etc, but he's paid the big bucks to make the most of them and get them in a system that covers their flaws.

We sold or loaned the dissenting voices for peanuts. This is your group. Make them believe in you. Stop making it out as if you're doing us a favour by being here.

 

[spurs-r-us]

ftr this is what happens when your club has absolutely no plan beyond "be successful". a manager having a tantrum seems apocalyptic because if he goes, we've got nothing else. no development plan, no long term vision, not even a short term vision. it's literally hoping a winning manager makes us win with his winningness.

The sad thing is, we had a plan for the majority of the ENIC years. Buy young and low, sell high, reinvest, climb up the table, break the top four, build the stadium and be attractive to CL-quality footballers. But then we did that, made some bad decisions that led to losing CL football, and we don't seem to have any genuine plan as to how to get back or where to go next.

 

[AJW]

If he decides to stay - do the club allow someone to spend millions and get specific players they want if they are primed to walk out the next day? I know people warned about this volatile situation but it’s unhealthy

 

[shelfboy68]

If he decides to stay - do the club allow someone to spend millions and get specific players they want if they are primed to walk out the next day? I know people warned about this volatile situation but it’s unhealthy

Is Conte concerned that his reputation as a serial winner will be damaged by being at a club who are renowned for being serial losers.
I must be honest I think he will be gone in June I can't see him staying there is too much wrong with the club to put right in his short time he is here.
Let's face it we are not going to be like Milan and win the title next season or season after that, we will be lucky to get top six next season when you look at other clubs who will strengthen as well.
Unfortunately for reasons we all know we missed the boat and are suffering as a consequence of serial failings.

 

[mano-obe]

I've been a fan all my life and its always difficult to like certain managers. El Tel, Jol, Redknapp and Poch I loved managing Spurs.

With Conte i see his passion, he wants to win, he's used to winning, as a player and a manager, he wants to drag everyone including the board and fans with him in the right direction. I'm already loving the bloke, but he won't put up with false dawns and If, buts and maybes, who could blame him? Levy has to convince him to stay and back him. I'd be all for getting rid of deadwood and building a monster team. We took our foot off the gas and teams have surpassed us. We have a wonderful new stadium, great training facilities but that means fuck all if we can't go that step further

 

[nedley]

Great presser from Conte.

Refreshing to get some straight answers that the press can't effectively twist without looking like absolute wankers.

Good times.

COYS.

Which presser?

The press are twisting nothing.

Wake up.

 

[CarrickSpurgus]

We all love Conte and I’m no exception but we can’t be having this emotional rollercoaster after every poor result ,he’s the figurehead of the team and he needs to conduct himself a lot better after situations like last night.
He can’t be crowd surfing one minute then threatening to quit the next,we’re all devastated with the last 4/5 results ,can he not air his frustration ,angst away from the glare of the media?

 

[nedley]

Journalists and pundits well awaken yet again to write more twisted headlines now.

There's no twisting here.

Wake up

 

[talkshowhost86]

I'm glad he's taking some responsibility.

Whatever the cracks in our squad, it is stronger than Southampton, Burnley and Wolves. That's got to at least sit partly with Conte.

 

[nedley]

It's bloody obvious.

We didn't back him anywhere near enough in January.