Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Dakes]

We know ENIC are a huge, massive part of the problem. We all do. The issue is that ENIC aren't going anywhere. Unless and until they receive several billion pounds they will continue to own this club and operate it in whichever way they choose. There is no 'Sack' ENIC option. Anyone who thinks a man like Daniel Levy is going to allow himself to be hounded out of the club is living on another planet. Levy is a cold, cold businessman. You're definitely not going to be hounding Joe Lewis out of the club because he's never here anyway. He's sunning himself in the Caribbean. If the only hope is ENIC selling to a benevolent, human rights observing billionaire then we might as well all give up and find something else to do. ENIC cannot be voted out, booed out, hounded out, protested out or legislated out. They sell the club for the value they deem right or they stay. On past behaviour Daniel Levy will not sell the club for anything less than top dollar. The reality is that ENIC are here to stay for the foreseeable future and there's nothing we can do to change that. Another reality we need to come to terms with is that Daniel Levy is not going to change his modus operandi at this point. He's been doing the same thing for twenty years and cannot and will not change. We can debate the reasons for his intransigeance, it could be that he's just a nitwit and despite his deep desire to bring us success he's just his own worst enemy OR he is performing his role perfectly as it is primarily to increase the value of the club through infrastructure investment and corporate sponsorship. His secondary role is to maintain an image of the club as elite and ambitious. This keeps sponsors, 'customers' and potential player and staff recruits interested. Personally, I subscribe to the second hypothesis.

Given these assumed realities we have to adjust our expectations. We can't change the ownership. We can demand entertainment and a more realistic strategy because the current strategy of employing an elite coach and giving him a bang average squad is not going well.

For that reason I think its perfectly reasonable to be Conte Out. He is not the right man for the job. Persevering with this is only going to lead to more frustration and anger. Conte is not going to get the £500m splurge of players that he wants and needs. Its not going to happen. Its better all round to bring in a younger, more modern coach who can work with the players that we have, raise morale, get the fans going, get the players enjoying their football and send Harry Kane off with a bit of a fanfare. We can get back to bringing players through from the academy, we can get back to bringing in exciting youngsters from the football league like Kyle Walker, Dele Alli, Aaron Lennon, Danny Rose. etc

Conte has to go for the good of the club.

It's pretty hard to argue your points about Levy and ENIC, unfortunately.

 

[sundanceyid10]

I don’t want to see anymore plasters or bandaids, which are all that manager changes are. It changes nothing we end up in the same place.

Anything that involves Levy remaining is just a bandaid at this point. These problems have been going on for so long under Levy’s watch.

 

[Yantino]

I agree with that at the end of last season we played some good football with the same team (with Richy and Peresic as obvious upgrades). So why is it now all going so badly wrong?

Check out our team against Arsenal last season at home. Royal and Sess as full backs, Dier Davies and Sanchez at the back!

Mate, our starting 11 STILL contains the likes of Dier, Davies, Sess, Royal/Doherty etc etc. Even Hojbjerg (who i do like but, when it comes down to it just isn't good enough against top opposition). Our midfield was SOOO limited yesterday against Arsenal it was depressing.

These players are not good enough to be in the starting 11 every week. Sure, they may have decent individual games/performances but they are limited as players and should be squad players only not first team regulars.

How many other top teams would still be playing Son every week at the moment, given his terrible form?

There is so much work that needs doing to this squad it's quite scary sometimes, yet we are 16 days into the window and we have signed absolutely no one. If this club were serious we would have had deals lined up and ready to go right at the start of the window. And i feel that this is where Conte's frustrations are.

 

[G Ron]

So sick of this all our defensive players are so shit. They are surely not perfect but most of them are capable to perform good enough so we are on top of Portsmouth or bottom half sides. And we are not, because of the way we play.

Look at Man United, they have now a confident foundation where they can suddenly play Lindelöf, Shaw and at times Maguire at the back and it works. Newcastle are winning game after game with Dan Burn at Left Back and Fabian Schär at Centre Back. Because their idea of football and squad management is working, not because these players are superstars...

Lindelof and Maguire are 4th & 5th choice CB’s to the point ETH is playing a left back at centre half. It’s Varane and Shaw with Martinez coming in next.
For me Dan Burn is miles better than Dier. He’s an aggressive front foot defender who dominates in the air and isn’t backing off the whole time.

I don’t think people realise quite how bad our defensive players are. Barring Romero they’re dreadful. I’d take Dawson from West Ham over Dier and co every day of the week.

 

[Rosco1984]

They don't have to be seperate things but to do both, you need to have the best players. We don't have those so you need to compromise. I would rather compromise on the footballing style.

Its the other way round mate been proven for years now. If you want to win by being cagey you need more experienced reliable players. A good hard working offensive team can cover up those deficiencies as they spend less of the game under threat. Arsenals squad is not better than ours it just isn't but they have a godd13-14 players who play to their strengths.

 

[JollyHappy]

So how do you explain every single second half where we dominate without changing formation? Yesterday we looked fine until 2 huge mistakes from Lloris then it changed the game.
you have hojberg in there who’s a cart horse and can’t move the ball or cover the ground quickly which doesn’t help.

There are no leaders in the team. We come out better in some second halves because Conte has reminded them what they are meant to be doing.

 

[Harrier]

I just don't get why it is so much about backing and transfers. There has been some ambitious moves like Richarlison, Perisic and Bissouma and recently before Kulusevski, Romero and Bentancur. Surely there is more to do BUT it seems like some close their eyes when it comes to our development on the pitch.

Conte is responsible to get a spirit in this group and to do a groundwork worth building on. He is earning 15m a year and wouldnt it be Conte with his CV no one would have a clue why he is still here. His squad management is questionable, his selections too. He is so stubborn with stuff that is not working, it is driving you insane.

Surely the board is to blame for some decisions but i have honestly no idea what Conte is doing in training and sometimes on the sidelines. I wish to enjoy watching Spurs again, and I feel his approach of football won't do that for me.

Can I have Tuchel please on a long term deal?

On principle, we shouldn’t go for another Chelsea cast off.

I’d also question whether Tuchel plays the style of football we all want to see.

 

[carpediem991]

Lindelof and Maguire are 4th & 5th choice CB’s to the point ETH is playing a left back at centre half. It’s Varane and Shaw with Martinez coming in next.
For me Dan Burn is miles better than Dier. He’s an aggressive front foot defender who dominates in the air and isn’t backing off the whole time.

I don’t think people realise quite how bad our defensive players are. Barring Romero they’re dreadful. I’d take Dawson from West Ham over Dier and co every day of the week.

Maguire played 90 minutes versus West Ham and Bournemouth and they kept a clean sheet. Lindelöf also had starts against Everton, Bournemouth, Fulham and Villa recently. And they got nine points out of it.

 

[Mattspurs1982]

can someone explain the narrative Conte hasn't been backed to me?

he's currently spent over 200m in 1 year of being in charge...

he spent 300 over 2 years at Inter
he spent 390 over 2 years at Chelsea

currently, we are on track to being Conte's most-backed club

Difference may be that chelsea for example had a decent squad (better than ours currently) that we’re performing poorly and he may survive spent big on just a few quality players whereas we’re spending smaller on a larger turnover of playing staff

 

[jolsnogross]

It's hard to see Conte still being here by the end of the season. The footy is rubbish and reactive, we're worse than the sum of our parts, and not a single player looks to be improving. Our performances against top 5 sides have been atrocious, pre-beaten for the most part. I dont expect us to stay in touch with the top 4, and he doesn't look like he'll buck the trend in Europe.

I'd love a miraculous turn around, but we're going through the motions with him. Based on what we've seen so far, I won't regret seeing the back of him. He hasn't been earning his exorbitant salary. And Paratici can go when he goes too.

 

[DanielJohnCosta]

Difference may be that chelsea for example had a decent squad (better than ours currently) that we’re performing poorly and he may survive spent big on just a few quality players whereas we’re spending smaller on a larger turnover of playing staff

Chelsea team came 10th the year before (year before won title under Mourinho) he turned them around and came first with minimal transfers then he added more and the second was the second season.... shit show and he was sacked

 

[NickHSpurs]

It has to be Luis Enrique, we simply have to go for someone who plays decent football next. I'm not interested in anything else, that's all I want, to be entertained.

 

[Pekoni]

And Paratici can go when he goes too.

Nah mate you surely don’t want Levy to be our main transfer guy once again

 

[Liamyid28]

Must admit it would make a nice change to actually enjoy watching us play again ??

 

[leray]

It's very convenient to blame individual errors, but they wouldn't happen that often if we defended in the middle of the park, not in our own penalty box. If we let Arsenal or any Premier League side get into our box so easily, mistakes will happen.

It's obvious that our defenders and midfielders are at best average. And Conte has managed to polish a turd last season. But this way of playing is just a white flag. And this is Conte's modus operandi when things go wrong. He did the same thing at Chelsea.

 

[Jay.]

I said it before and i genuinely think that this will be a long process. We've wasted a once in a lifetime talent like Kane, that depresses me. Hes probably only got another 3 seasons at the top.

Assuming Levy and ENIC remain. At this stage we need a motivator, we dont have the players to implement world class tactics sadly. We need a motivator, someone who will let the players express themselves and give their all and someone who encourages youngsters and new energy. Like when Martin Jol was here, someone to get the team spirit back and the desire.

Thats why i think Thomas Franck would be worth a shot, let him bring his team with him. Seems like a really likeable genuine guy, someone you'd want to play for. If we can nick a few Brentford players (Im thinking Raya for starters) even better.

I very much doubt we'd win the league with him but it could be the catalyst for a new cycle and some young blood.

These world class managers dont work without the backing. Surely that is crystal clear now.

 

[spursfan1991]

Almost anyone with a sane mind knows ENIC and Levy are the main problem. However, i do think they need to sack Conte asap. This relationship is just a ticking time bomb, i'd rather we get the explosion out of the way now. Bring in a coach that see's Spurs as a progression in their career. Coaches with reputations dont work here because of the financial model which wont change whilst the accountants are still in charge.

 

[Albertbarich]

No manager has the perfect player in every position, no manager gets every player they want.

I want Levy gone, I think he is hurting the football club with his management but none of this excuses the performance yesterday and a lot of them this season.

Defensive, negative, tepid football that Is becoming more and more ineffective . Not good enough by a long shot and if his name was Nuno rather than Antonio Conte nobody would be defending it.

Time for him and the club to put up or shut up. Sign your deal, get two or three players of real quality this month and go for it

If you won't sign then off you go , we get someone else in and we get two or three players they and Paratici like and we go for it and thank him for last season.

 

[HildoSpur]

I said it before and i genuinely think that this will be a long process. We've wasted a once in a lifetime talent like Kane, that depresses me. Hes probably only got another 3 seasons at the top.

Assuming Levy and ENIC remain. At this stage we need a motivator, we dont have the players to implement world class tactics sadly. We need a motivator, someone who will let the players express themselves and give their all and someone who encourages youngsters and new energy. Like when Martin Jol was here, someone to get the team spirit back and the desire.

Thats why i think Thomas Franck would be worth a shot, let him bring his team with him. Seems like a really likeable genuine guy, someone you'd want to play for. If we can nick a few Brentford players (Im thinking Raya for starters) even better.

I very much doubt we'd win the league with him but it could be the catalyst for a new cycle and some young blood.

These world class managers dont work without the backing. Surely that is crystal clear now.

I can't agree with this sorry - this is just asking for exactly the same as what we have had for the last decade. We need huge change on and off the pitch and unfortunately this takes time and sometimes makes things worse before it gets better. We either grasp the nettle now with a manager like Conte or we accept that we will only ever be a club hoping to get top 4. Now that may be ok for you, but personally I'm in my mid-40's now and my lifetime supporting Spurs has seen next to no glory or great winning moments - at least compared to our rivals and I'm fucking sick of it.

 

[bat-chain]

I would say that's pretty simple. Teams drop back and surrender space and possession. We are suddenly able to get the ball into our offensive players. It’s not something we changed at half time. Sure, Once we've got that momentum we grow in confidence but the catalyst is the opposition changing their approach.

I think the game plan did work early in the game yesterday when Kane was dropping deep and pinging balls to Sess, sess fluffed his lines, then Son did.

That's the problem with our group, can’t carry out any game plan without a ton of mistakes, rendering it pointless..