Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Gassin's finest]

Is this like the previous 10 times we shit the bed that he might leave?

 

[TPdYID]

Exactly….6 bentancurs is £100m would be well happy with that

Hojberg - 14m
Wanyama - 12.5m
Ericksen - 11m
Vertonghen - 14m

There’s this myth that you need to spend a truckload to be competitive, it’s a lazy narrative.

 

[DanNolan]

This is a huge huge reaction when all the info points to there just being a little bit of uncertainty. Nobody I’ve seen has said that Conte wants out or that he won’t be backed?

 

[dtxspurs]

Hojberg - 14m
Wanyama - 12.5m
Ericksen - 11m
Vertonghen - 14m

There’s this myth that you need to spend a truckload to be competitive, it’s a lazy narrative.

Easy to pick deals that worked but if you just look at our competitors and what they do to it's hard to say that deals like that are the way to success.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

This is a huge huge reaction when all the info points to there just being a little bit of uncertainty. Nobody I’ve seen has said that Conte wants out or that he won’t be backed?

Not sure how to put an optimistic view on these reports - certainly feels like more than "a little bit of uncertainty":

It's all very complicated right now and goes much deeper than just Conte v Levy. There is money available, not masses but enough to keep Conte happy, but how that money is spent is where the problem lies.

As of right now I wouldn't be surprised to see any of..........
Conte saying fuck it and walking.
Levy giving in and backing him under pressure from VL
Levy being replaced as far as dealing with the football side of things are concerned

What I don't see is them finding a compromise. Conte wants what he wants, and he certainly has VL's attention. What is unclear to everyone I've spoken to is what is VL's real time position in all of this, and what her end game actually is.

It is all very messy everyone. I can’t say too much here. But it is not good.

 

[TPdYID]

Easy to pick deals that worked but if you just look at our competitors and what they do to it's hard to say that deals like that are the way to success.

But haven’t we established that we can’t do what our competitors do?

We’re never going to be able to outspend City? Or take as many risks as Chelsea.

We need to look at a model that works for us, pointless comparing transfer approaches with clubs who can infinitely outspend us.

 

[Cochise]

Please stop quoting deals done 6-8 years ago as examples of value for money. Son today would likely cost double what he did then.

 

[dudu]

The argument against giving Conte what he wants when he’s not committed does seem sensible on the face of it, but think of it this way…

If Conte committed to a long contract tomorrow, would you trust Levy to give him the backing he needs?

It sounds from those who know more that there is a conflict between the types of players Conte wants to sign (that he’s flexible on names but not profiles) and the players Levy/The Board want to sign. So, we should also ask ourselves who do we prefer to decide on the targets to improve the squad, Conte or Levy? With Paratici caught in the middle.

For me, this isn’t about Conte specifically - I’m not wholly convinced he’s really a Spurs coach in the style we prefer, or should prefer. I’m more comfortable with backing him despite this because he pretty much always leaves teams stronger than when he started. But as Trix keeps saying, why appoint him knowing exactly what he’s about and then not be prepared to back him? The only answers I can see are:
1. Levy believes his own mythology as a master negotiator and thought he could handle Conte, manipulate him even.
2. Levy was focused on saving his own skin with the external pressures and never intended to buy-in to Conte or to step away from the football side properly and now some of the heat has gone he’s reverted to type.

I think 2 is most likely.

The problem is, if Conte goes now - or when he goes as he will eventually - if the Levy situation is not resolved we will simply be destined for more of the same. A new manager with the same board is not going to get us anywhere. A new board, whether with the same manager or a new one, just might get us somewhere.

You make some good points and I agree with a few of them completely. We certainly need a board in place that will match our (the fan's) on-the-pitch ambitions. We also need a manager who is going to commit to us and be flexible in understanding our financial position.

I have no doubt that Conte will get where we are and understand he may have to be flexible when it comes to how we can compete. He would have been insane to come here and think for a second we were going to go toe to toe financially with City, Chelsea and Man U.....

By the accounts from today it just feels like Levy needs to either step up or step away.

 

[Albertbarich]

Hojberg - 14m
Wanyama - 12.5m
Ericksen - 11m
Vertonghen - 14m

There’s this myth that you need to spend a truckload to be competitive, it’s a lazy narrative.

Nobody is demanding they spend a billion quid for the sake of it.

But are they willing to do what it takes to deliver a title winning team?

You can cherry pick great deals and I'm all for them but it's also easy to cherry pick cheap deals that have screwed us or more to the point the manager.

All I want is for the manager to be fully backed. We have hired him so we must trust his judgement. That has never ever happened under these owners.

There is no secret to man city and Chelsea's success or Newcastle's sudden rise. Invest in your team and you will see results.

 

[bomberH]

I’d like Levy to leave amicably and then get jointly taken over by Russians and Saudis. Everyone hates us anyway, may as well give them a proper reason to. Then we can buy De Bruyne, Neymar, Gvardiol and Arsenal purely to sell the ground for flats.

Oh and keep Conte.

 

[thebenjamin]

Hojberg - 14m
Wanyama - 12.5m
Ericksen - 11m
Vertonghen - 14m

There’s this myth that you need to spend a truckload to be competitive, it’s a lazy narrative.

I'm sure everyone would agree that there are bargains to be had. Paratici has already outdone himself in that regard.

I think the problem people have is that this ownership have been extremely consistent at closing the wallet at the worst possible moments. Nelsen and Saha when we were 2 points off top in January, signing no one for a year and a half under Poch, and now when Kane and Son have at best two years left at peak level, and we have one of the world's best managers - people can see the same thing happening again.

If they aren't going to show ambition now, when our revenue is through the roof, then it is basically conclusive proof that there are no circumstances when they will ever be as ambitious for the football side of the business as they are for the infrastructure side - where no cost is too high and only the best will do.

 

[Misfit]

Merry f'ing Christmas!

 

[g_harry]

I'm sure everyone would agree that there are bargains to be had. Paratici has already outdone himself in that regard.

I think the problem people have is that this ownership have been extremely consistent at closing the wallet at the worst possible moments. Nelsen and Saha when we were 2 points off top in January, signing no one for a year and a half under Poch, and now when Kane and Son have at best two years left at peak level, and we have one of the world's best managers - people can see the same thing happening again.

If they aren't going to show ambition now, when our revenue is through the roof, then it is basically conclusive proof that there are no circumstances when they will ever be as ambitious for the football side of the business as they are for the infrastructure side - where no cost is too high and only the best will do.

It will be an absolute shame if Harry Kane doesn't win something with this club.

 

[the lad]

Absolute amateur hour if we force Conte out to bring back Poch, we would be a joke. How is there not money to spend? What is going on with the naming rights? Where is the rest of the 150m from the summer?

If only amateur hour hadn’t now amounted to twenty plus years !

Pathetic, piss poor, disgusting and disgraceful from Dan the one trophy man.

 

[DanNolan]

Not sure how to put an optimistic view on these reports - certainly feels like more than "a little bit of uncertainty":

But again nothing in either of those two ‘itk’ reports actually points to him leaving. Trix named conte walking as one of the outcomes but that’s always been a possibility since day 1 we’ve seen it at inter.
the main co oberating point seems to be that there is a power struggle with Levy not solely letting conte pick every player… what else is new.

levy wants success now but also wants a back up strategy incase contes way doesn’t work. Handing Poch (or another replacement) a team of Perisic’s is great but giving him a Perisic a Gil a Spence … gives an opportunity incase we fail. I understand both sides personally

 

[G Ron]

Levy had a hand in giving us one of the best stadiums, one of the best managers and probably one of the best sporting directors, yet he's the one not moving forward... Utterly depressing.

You say that like it was all his plan and it all ran smoothly, conveniently missing out the fact he employed Nuno and was backed into a corner with the knives firmly out for him from the match going supporter. That’s why he went balls deep for Conte - nobody else would’ve appeased the fan base and the atmosphere was utterly toxic.

As many have said before, what he’s achieved from an infrastructure and commercial standpoint is fantastic, but when it comes to the footballing side of things he should stay well clear as he’s clueless.

 

[Stamford]

It's so funny seeing people say how boring it is to deal with the conte negotiations. It's far more boring winning nothing under ENIC.

Back a manager and see a plan through. It's always half hearted with this lot.

 

[Trent Crimm]

Levy is never gonna change. He’s been here 20 years and his patterns of behaviour have been consistent.

On top of that he used to be a disrupter, doing things differently to the rest of the PL, but now he feels very much old fashioned in the way he wants to do things. Time for fresh ideas and thinking.

Levy has never been a disrupter. Ever.

 

[Jamturk]

Levy and Enic own the club not Conte.

Get on with the job you are paid handsomely to do or fuck off.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Levy and Enic own the club not Conte.

Get on with the job you are paid handsomely to do or fuck off.

I don't think Levy/ENIC will leave so easily.