Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[hamsup_sotong]

Man,we're just cursed as a club in general atm aren't we.
Jose and covid. Conte and his operation, ventrone passing away, mid yr wc. A board that priorities value over need and fit when purchasing. When will we turn the corner?

 

[GutBucket]

He turned down Maddison or we wouldn't pay the fee?
He shipped out Gil because Gil wanted regular game time
Richarlison (who I am not convinced is a Conte pick) is back up to Kane, and we all know Kane is not going to be rotated regularly.

Here are the first team players who have arrived under Conte;

Bentancur
Kuluveski (loan)
Forster
Perisic
Bissouma
Richarlison
Lenglet (loan)
Spence
Udogie
Porro (loan + obligation)
Danjuma (loan)

I have no idea how many of them were Conte picks (I want <<name of player>>) - but my guess is it is a short list. Tottenham are more about 'this is who we can get / afford' take it or leave it. Isn't that an often cited reason that Poch had the sulks?

He turned down Maddison, couple of different sources are saying it. How he used Eriksen at Inter makes is probable too. Richarlison is probably Conte's pick, he always needs players who are good in air. Plenty of old school coaches are/were like that (Mourinho, Heynckes, Ancelotti etc). There's a reason why he lost it when he couldn't get Llorente at Chelsea. He definitely didn't get CBs he wanted and it makes his system harder to play, but it still wouldn't be good enough (even if we forget how much has Bastoni regressed and assume he is best LCB in the world).

 

[spurmin]

Come on Levy. Do the right thing.

Open another cheese room.

 

[Now it's Spursonal]

 

[Trix]

Why do you think they chose not to spend all of it? Was it just as simple as a change of heart and they wanted to keep the money or did they start having doubts already about Conte. I honestly can't fathom why they didn't spend it on a defender when even if Conte left we would and do still need one.

Well they shelled out £40mil for a RWB in January when we already had Royal and Spence, so surely if they were having doubts by that point they'd have not bought Porro?

Who knows what the reason was but the fact is we've needed a LCB be it in a 4 or a 3 since Jan left so I don't understand why we couldn't have got one over 2 windows with £50mil available.

 

[nidge]

Well they shelled out £40mil for a RWB in January when we already had Royal and Spence, so surely if they were having doubts by that point they'd have not bought Porro?

Who knows what the reason was but the fact is we've needed a LCB be it in a 4 or a 3 since Jan left so I don't understand why we couldn't have got one over 2 windows with £50mil available.

Just feels like the club is in a complete shambles.

There's no clear direction or leadership and as such no real accountability for failure beyond sacking another manager.

 

[wadewill]

Ouch

 

[mil1lion]

International break seems the most logical now for Conte to go. Wait for Paratici to be banned and the players to leave for Internationals. Get a new director who can pick his manager , if he needs to wait until summer so be it.

 

[easley91]

It's not one or the other ffs

It's also the players as well. Every single person involved in the men's side of the club is at fault for various reasons.

 

[Derryank]

He turned down Maddison or we wouldn't pay the fee?
He shipped out Gil because Gil wanted regular game time
Richarlison (who I am not convinced is a Conte pick) is back up to Kane, and we all know Kane is not going to be rotated regularly.

Here are the first team players who have arrived under Conte;

Bentancur
Kuluveski (loan)
Forster
Perisic
Bissouma
Richarlison
Lenglet (loan)
Spence
Udogie
Porro (loan + obligation)
Danjuma (loan)

I have no idea how many of them were Conte picks (I want <<name of player>>) - but my guess is it is a short list. Tottenham are more about 'this is who we can get / afford' take it or leave it. Isn't that an often cited reason that Poch had the sulks?

Awesome post.

In black and white it's very obvious that the failings occurred off the pitch and not on it.

Squarely on Levy and his purse string tactics.

 

[Derryank]

hIREd a CheQUEbooK ManAger

wITh NO ChEQues

 

[Bobbins]

Because we end up paying the same amount. If we sack him we pay him remainder of his contract, if we don’t we pay him until June

3 months of wages is the issue? Come on... Don't be silly.

I don’t get the hang up about the ‘cost’ to pay him off - he’s getting his money til the end of the season whether he goes now or not. I really wanted it to work out but it isn’t going to, and a big club with a decisive owner/chairman and a plan would act now

That's not what we're talking about - there will be severance conditions and fees built into the contract. It's not just his wages.

 

[mattspur1986]

Is this a real quote?

 

[Hawkey77]

View attachment 123587
Is this a real quote?

Yes

 

[DJS]

He turned down Maddison, couple of different sources are saying it. How he used Eriksen at Inter makes is probable too. Richarlison is probably Conte's pick, he always needs players who are good in air. Plenty of old school coaches are/were like that (Mourinho, Heynckes, Ancelotti etc). There's a reason why he lost it when he couldn't get Llorente at Chelsea. He definitely didn't get CBs he wanted and it makes his system harder to play, but it still wouldn't be good enough (even if we forget how much has Bastoni regressed and assume he is best LCB in the world).

Image our team this season in a 4-2-3-1 with Maddison and Kulusevski behind Kane…

 

[mpickard2087]

Look I was never Conte In from the start or at any point in time in fact, but to be honest I'm not sure it is the absolutely obvious time to pull the trigger. People are saying it because they want to see something happen, or have column inches to fill, and/or moan about Levy.

I don't think eg. De Zerbi would leave Brighton before the end of the season. Gallardo is apparently taking a break and has told other teams he won't take a job till the summer. Poch I don't see going anywhere at the moment. Ditto Tuchel. Luis Enrique probably also. Maybe Chelsea job might come up shortly. Maybe PSG. Maybe Madrid.... as things stand I don't see that many dangers as to other big clubs imminently looking to snap up currently available managers.

Also any new manager, especially a more front foot one, would need time, and probably at least a couple of signings to fill substantial gaps, to make his mark. Might not want to be pitched into the business end of a season having to pick a team up and put square pegs in ill-shaped holes.

Then we have Conte himself. We're looking at circa £5m (plus whatever it would cost his backroom staff) to pay him off early. An interim might not do any better filling the void and the players might mentally hit the beach if we did that. Then there is the fact that he does historically do better with one game a week and longer preparation, plus we do still have an, admittedly very shaky, hold on 4th place currently. That has to be weighed against whether he has given up, if the players have given up, etc.

If the white flag hasn't been raised then I don't think it's outrageous to wait currently and see if Conte can salvage the season. We might wait until say the international break to see if there is a response, more prep time helps, and if the dressing room has been truly lost and then revisit it.

It remains to be seen though, but if the guy they want isn't there for right now then hasty decisions trying to look busy are hardly likely to be the wisest course.

 

[Albertbarich]

For Dan Kilpatrick to write that article means he is off ASAP imo.

 

[Bobbins]

For my money, they're over coached in a thoroughly rigid system and scared to go off script. A few years of Mourinho and Conte seems to have beaten every shred of spontaneity out of the players. You only need look at the way Bissouma was kept out while he learned the 'Conte way', and then when he got his chance he was a shadow of who he was at Brighton the season before. Can't wait to see the back of this crap that gets served up match after match.

Is there a modern version of Redknapp out there who can encourage players to go out and express themselves whilst giving them a basic tactical framework?

We've had years of over-coaching of the players, including under Poch, but every manager these days seems to be stuck to rigid tactical systems and needs players who can follow instructions to the letter.

Are the days of arm-round-the-shoulder managers completely over?

 

[cjbyid]

For Dan Kilpatrick to write that article means he is off ASAP imo.

Definitely heard something alright

 

[HildoSpur]

Is there a modern version of Redknapp out there who can encourage players to go out and express themselves whilst giving them a basic tactical framework?

We've had years of over-coaching of the players, including under Poch, but every manager these days seems to be stuck to rigid tactical systems and needs players who can follow instructions to the letter.

Are the days of arm-round-the-shoulder managers completely over?

At the top level yes those days are long gone - might be fine in League one though.