Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Metalhead]

Yeah, me stepping back a bit helps me be patient as well.
I personally doubt we're going to be in a much better position in 2-3 windows time even if Conte stays, not because it's Conte's fault but rather because we've abandoned the method that brought us here in the first place and instead trying to buy our way to the top despite us still being far behind financially.

As I see it we've been trying to patch a winning team together by throwing a bunch of money at short-term signings to win something since Poch got the sack, but I'm of the belief that it's more likely we'll be pushed back to midtable by doing this instead of winning anything and then have to struggle even more to get back into the top.

Trouble is that we've ended up floundering - Jose and especially Nuno were ill thought out. I harbour optimism that Conte being appointed is more than just an attempt at appointing someone with a track record of success and assuming that alone will bring success. Levy must have learned his lesson from Jose.

 

[SirNiNyHotspur]

Probably already discussed on here somewhere but just read this on possibility of Conte discussing new contract with Levy over World Cup period:

"The relationship you create with your players and the club, the enviornment around is very important, as is ambition. If you are used to fighting to win in your [playing] career, it is very important to match all of this. If you are lucky to find all these situations it is simpler for a coach to stay for a long time."

"Sometimes you are lucky to have a good result and find a club that matches your ambitions, desires, will to improve together and to grow. When this happens, you are lucky. Every manager dreams of these situations. In reality, unfortunately, it's not always this."

Couldn't be any clearer to me, likes to use the word ambition, time will tell...

 

[fecka]

Trouble is that we've ended up floundering - Jose and especially Nuno were ill thought out. I harbour optimism that Conte being appointed is more than just an attempt at appointing someone with a track record of success and assuming that alone will bring success. Levy must have learned his lesson from Jose.

Yea, it's the floundering that's gotten to me I think. As a fan, there are of course a lot of variables we aren't aware of, but I've felt for a while that our strategy and direction are unclear. I think Conte's done well under the circumstances, but I haven't felt like we've set ourselves up for sustainable success in a while.

 

[DarwinSpur]

One thing that is really winding me up about Conte. Is Spence. That 30min cameo he had shows he’s going to a monster of a player. He has it all. Height, strength, speed, power, dribbling, heading. not sure if he can cross or shoot yet, but he reminds me Gareth Bale a bit at first. If he doesn’t play against Leeds I think a lot of fans are going to be really disappointed. He’s head and shoulders better than docherty and royal!

Reckon he's more Messi/Ronaldo going forward; with Iniesta/Figo like qualities in midfield and a dash of Roberto Carlos/Maldini in defence.

Not that we should put pressure on the kid...

 

[southlondonyiddo]

I think CL football has made a section of the fanbase become entitled. Its weird, as much as I love the CL and qualifying for it, nothing beats weekend football for me, I love Saturday 3pm kick offs.

Good luck with that!

 

[THE SPURSBOY]

are we not in a chicken and egg situation, AC wont agree to the one year extension without proof of signings, DL wont spend loads if Conte not going to agree/SIGN the extension, spose DL has to just take that chance first

 

[Rout-Ledge]

I could never not watch us. Its my team so I support them through thick and thin. We have no given right to be great so why select to only follow when we're great? That's kind of glory hunting to be honest. If you can't follow through the tough times I'm not sure you should get the luxury of the good times. We're in top 4 and next stage of CL too so not exactly like the worst days even.

Nobody is obliged to watch every match to he considered a ‘true’ fan. Sometimes other things in life take priority and/or it’s an active decision to avoid because it’s making you miserable.

Nobody under the age of about 70 can be accused of following Spurs as an act of glory hunting.

Personally, I get to a few games a year and watch almost all our other games on TV. However there have been times when things have been so bleak or frustrating (a few during the end of Jose’s time here) that I’ve simply felt the urge to avoid actually watching the match, and I’ve been happier for it. It’s not because I don’t care. If anything it’s because I care too much. I’ll always keep a keen eye on the score throughout the game though. I honestly don’t care how other fans feel about it, and it’s frankly none of their business anyway.

 

[Metalhead]

Yea, it's the floundering that's gotten to me I think. As a fan, there are of course a lot of variables we aren't aware of, but I've felt for a while that our strategy and direction are unclear. I think Conte's done well under the circumstances, but I haven't felt like we've set ourselves up for sustainable success in a while.

And to be fair, his reluctance to play Gil and Spence much won't have helped. Hopefully they'll get more time as the season goes on.

 

[Harrier]

21:30 he discusses about staying long term at a club. Title is a bit click baity IMHO.

 

[bubble07]

So conte wanted to take the players not going to WC to somewhere hot to train but it wasn't possible

 

[fingersinc]

My main gripe with Conte is that when we lose he rolls out the "project" and "patience" lines but then fails in any kind of way to try and develop Spence.

The boy has talent, the boy wants it, he is no shrinking violet and we have a problem at RWB.

I just can't get my head around it.

p.s Also the dropping Kulu seems to me a failure of seeing what makes his own team tick.

The dropping of Kulu was because he didn’t have the balls to drop Son

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

The dropping of Kulu was because he didn’t have the balls to drop Son

I think this is mostly right - though I would say he was trying to get Sonny going, more than he lacked the balls to sit him.

But, I think the larger part was true - Deki was sacrificed to keep Son in the team, and get Richi into the team.

In retrospect, Conte should have gone with a regular rotation, sitting each of them (and Kane) one game at a time.

 

[IamSpurtacus]

throwing a bunch of money at short-term signings

Cuti, Bentacour, Deki, Udogie, Richarlison, Bissouma are not "short term signings"

Even GLC, Ndombele, Sarr, Gil, Sess, Spence and Emerson are not "short term" - all younger when bought, even if they're not working out as intended

There's a clear change in approach under AC and FP. I hope it continues and money is made available to bring in the players AC wants - which has been the real issue in the past

 

[npearl4spurs]

I could never not watch us. Its my team so I support them through thick and thin. We have no given right to be great so why select to only follow when we're great? That's kind of glory hunting to be honest. If you can't follow through the tough times I'm not sure you should get the luxury of the good times. We're in top 4 and next stage of CL too so not exactly like the worst days even.

Nobody is obliged to watch every match to he considered a ‘true’ fan. Sometimes other things in life take priority and/or it’s an active decision to avoid because it’s making you miserable.

Nobody under the age of about 70 can be accused of following Spurs as an act of glory hunting.

Personally, I get to a few games a year and watch almost all our other games on TV. However there have been times when things have been so bleak or frustrating (a few during the end of Jose’s time here) that I’ve simply felt the urge to avoid actually watching the match, and I’ve been happier for it. It’s not because I don’t care. If anything it’s because I care too much. I’ll always keep a keen eye on the score throughout the game though. I honestly don’t care how other fans feel about it, and it’s frankly none of their business anyway.

I used to be pretty obsessed and frenetic about Spurs. Taking in everything I could when I first started supporting in 2010 when I was 19-20 something like that. I was totally off the deep end and a loss would ruin my weekend, even my whole week. I'd be searching desperately for something to pick me back up (a dangerous thing, really).

Now I'm 31 with a beautiful wife, three amazing children and another on the way!, a nice house that constantly needs something done, a good career that's demanding and exciting, and a great church with good friendships. So why would I want to waste my time watching a team lose or watch a train wreck?

When we lost the CL final so comprehensively and then Poch left, a part of the Spurs-supporting area of my heart died. And then Jose Mourinho becomes our manager? I solemnly swear I did not watch a single highlight, read a single article, or take in anything Spurs during Jose's time as manager. I couldn't stomach it. I checked in fortuitously two summers right as Nuno was hired (I even missed the embarassing manager search). You could imagine my suprise when I found out we had Bale back for a season...and the other player changes! Now we have a manager that is really admirable, talks honestly, and speaks well of our players and really everyone else. Even willing to work with, and overcome, the sufficiencies that have plagued Spurs long before he arrived. So refreshing instead of making excuses.

I never watch a match live and just keep up with the score during my days, if I can. I'll watch the highlights in a win or draw, but most likely will never watch the highlights in a loss unless there is some kind of compelling storyline. What's the point? Make myself sad on purpose? This way I stay so much more even-keeled and can take in the views of reliable, match-going posters here to see how things are really going.

Football is entertainment, end of. When it isn't entertaining and it stops being fun, it isn't worth your time. I don't know why anyone would do otherwise. Too many good things about life to be wringing your hands about a bunch of men, mostly if not exclusively younger than you, losing a soccer game hundreds of miles away (yes, I am American).

So after that, I guess...COYS? yes, COYS! You can support in your own way.

 

[Albertbarich]

Cuti, Bentacour, Deki, Udogie, Richarlison, Bissouma are not "short term signings"

Even GLC, Ndombele, Sarr, Gil, Sess, Spence and Emerson are not "short term" - all younger when bought, even if they're not working out as intended

There's a clear change in approach under AC and FP. I hope it continues and money is made available to bring in the players AC wants - which has been the real issue in the past

If Conte wants experienced pros right now then I'm all for it.

We have an expensive squad full of internationals who show mental fragility all too often.

 

[JayB]

I think this is mostly right - though I would say he was trying to get Sonny going, more than he lacked the balls to sit him.

But, I think the larger part was true - Deki was sacrificed to keep Son in the team, and get Richi into the team.

In retrospect, Conte should have gone with a regular rotation, sitting each of them (and Kane) one game at a time.

It wouldn't have made much of a difference in the end due to the timing of the injuries.

At the time Conte was tinkering with Richarlsion on the right we hadn't yet hit the grueling part of the schedule, so rotation was not as pressing of an issue. Deki was then injured due to mismanagement in a dead rubber of an international match and Richarlison aggravated a muscle injury dating back to his Everton days at a time when the number of minutes he'd been asked to play should have left him relatively fresh.

The lack of rotation wasn't what caused those injuries, but the end result is that it became impossible for us to rotate properly at exactly the time it was necessary.

The real problem is that we've only got four quality options for the front three, and no like-for-like alternative for Deki. Bryan has been deemed to be too lightweight and Lucas, cult hero though he is, is clearly in the twilight of his career. One injury and the only way to rotate is to change from Conte's preferred formation, and if the injury is to Deki then we instantly become bereft of creativity. We need a fifth option up front, ideally one who specializes in chance creation.

 

[mil1lion]

So conte wanted to take the players not going to WC to somewhere hot to train but it wasn't possible

It's ok, Levy has arranged a jolly boys outing to Margate on a bus

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

My main gripe with Conte is that when we lose he rolls out the "project" and "patience" lines but then fails in any kind of way to try and develop Spence.


I just can't get my head around it.

Fails in any kind of way to try to develop Spence

I think i've spotted the reason you can't get your head around it

 

[parj]

Reckon he's more Messi/Ronaldo going forward; with Iniesta/Figo like qualities in midfield and a dash of Roberto Carlos/Maldini in defence.

Not that we should put pressure on the kid...

Can't we just call him the next Cafu or Dean Austin?

 

[rossdapep]