Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[CrazyKen]

For some reasons, I'm not surprised

 

[IamSpurtacus]

If it all turns to shit, i'd like Tuchel please.

who's renowned as an easy character who always gets along with his chairman, in total contrast to Conte...

 

[bat-chain]

We had a place in London and would go to most of Tottenham's home games at White Hart Lane," he said.

"Vivienne was a big Liverpool fan, as was her brother Charlie, long before the family bought Spurs. The funny thing is, Vivienne even applied for a job in the office at Anfield. On the other hand, I was an old Spurs fan before I joined Liverpool. That's probably why we all got on so well.


It's a no from me on that basis alone.

 

[Flobadob]

Would people here take the scenario of Conte walking if it meant Levy being relieved of his role? I don’t think anyone will ever be able to succeed here until Levy’s gone.

Whole board then yes, just Levy no.

 

[wrd]

It's pretty spectacular how often the situation changes. I don't think the problem with Spurs is that we seem to jump from one extreme from the next (which we do). It's that we seem to always want to be doing two completely contrasting things at the same time every time. Back Poch at last with a significant outlay, sack manager at first sign of trouble. Signed two expensive creative midfielders, Hire Jose who values combativeness. Hire Paratici and task him with signing prospects such as Gill, Sarr and even Spence, hire a manager who is here to get us aggressively competing in the short term and values experience.

Sounds like we're doing the same again, there's money available but not for what the manager we signed wants. This is why we will continue down this never ending cycle in my opinion. All the approaches have merit to them, they make logical sense but only when you look at them in isolation and don't bring into account that the decision makers at the club continue to counter their own moves. That's why they are able to continue because you can pick 1 half of any of it and use it to justify their decision making but as I say, doing so ignores that we continually once that move is made decide to then go with a simultaneous opposing move that leaves us in this perpetual limbo. We're like a pair of legs both looking to go forward but in opposite directions always.

 

[JCRD]

Im only going on the basis of what I know from here and the media and social media but why would Levy dump a whole heap of money on someone who hasnt yet committed his future yet? Its not sensible surely.

My view has always been that I dont like this whole having us over a barrel perspective - its always been we are lucky to have Conte... even the fans have done this and I have hated it. We are lucky to have him so we best do what he wants - well nope. Having said all that for me, this is all boring as others have also mentioned, the rumours have been around for a hell of a long time, and this can be resolved quite easily by BOTH parties but I guess its about who blinks first

 

[Timberwolf]

Why would a top class established manager come to us?

if the conte experiment implodes because of levy, we’ll be left with managers on the wane with something to prove (Jose), up comers who are trying to make the step up (Howe - types) or chancers like Nuno

all equally unappealing given the clubs current position and finances

I mean, we got Conte...

He was, pound for pound, one of the top 5 managers in the world when we brought him in. Sure there are reasons certain big clubs wouldn't go near him, but he's still a world class manager at the top of his game that came to Spurs when we were a total mess.

Beyond that, I think we'd be in a much better position to attract a manager than we were in the "Nuno summer".

Back then we had a significantly worse squad, no Champions League or Europa League to offer, and there weren't that many top level managers on the market at all. And even then, if we'd been decisive and were convinced he was the right man I suspect we could've got Ten Hag at the start of that summer but apparently the board thought he lacked charisma.

I think our best bet is to hang on to Conte, but if he does leave I think we'd have a good shot at attracting one of the top tier managers available on the market. If nothing else, we offer massive salaries to managers and that alone is a huge draw.

 

[theslowcentury]

Thought the Athletic article was interesting reading. Reminded me of how miserable it got at times last season (Burnley away) and how it all came together at the end somehow. I think both sides are really really fond of playing politics in a way that we've not experienced even under Mourinho, whose era now seems a bit quaint by comparison. Levy loves to play the role of a pound shop Machiavelli for the sake of it but I think Conte has his number.

Players, coaches, board members come and go but it's not fair on the fans who remain the one constant throughout. Deserves has got nothing to do with elite sport, but god we could do with a win on something for once.

 

[spids]

I am happy to admit I’ve been a big fan of Levy. Between 2003 and 2022 he has built us an amazing training facility and stadium. He has maximised our revenue streams. His expertise was exactly what we needed. But now we need a change. Everything is in place for us to be successful and we need new leadership. Either the Lewis family replace Levy as chairman or they sell to new owners who replace Levy.

 

[Freddie]

I don't believe there's any doom-mongering here at all. The only reason Kane stayed was because we bought in Conte. I think you've probably forgotten how bad things were until we landed Conte (which very few of us expected could even happen). It really was a calamitous fuck up of the highest order and IMO Conte was the only thing that saved Levy at that point.

In terms of players that have been signed since - many of them have commented on Conte being the reason they joined. He's a winner and they know it, not backing him now will result in some of them leaving, I've no doubt at all in that. When you then factor in what else is going on with the squad then it really is concerning and not doom mongering IMO.

What I don't expect to happen is for Conte not to be back this window though. I don't see any of the above happening because frankly it should be obvious to just about anyone, including VL, that letting Conte go now is near suicide for the club.

And all this is before you even take into account that there are now AT LEAST 7 strong teams competing in the PL - Spurs, City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle, Chelsea and Utd. That means every season 3 strong teams will miss out on CL. YET we are in the CL knock out stages and in the CL league spots right now. Call it doom mongering if you want, but the reality is that we will be left behind massively if we aren't very careful over the next 7 weeks.

But you're now arguing a different point. A decline is definitely inevitable after Conte and we may struggle to get top 4 again for a number of years- on that I agree. But we still have a DoF, and even if he goes we won't sell everyone good and not replace them. Most of those weaker players will be sold or won't have contracts renewed too. My point was that list of squad fillers won't be the core of our squad.

 

[IamSpurtacus]

I mean, we got Conte...

He was, pound for pound, one of the top 5 managers in the world when we brought him in. Sure there are reasons certain big clubs wouldn't go near him, but he's still a world class manager at the top of his game that came to Spurs when we were a total mess.

Beyond that, I think we'd be in a much better position to attract a manager than we were in the "Nuno summer".

Back then we had a significantly worse squad, no Champions League or Europa League to offer, and there weren't that many top level managers on the market at all. And even then, if we'd been decisive and were convinced he was the right man I suspect we could've got Ten Hag at the start of that summer but apparently the board thought he lacked charisma.

I think our best bet is to hang on to Conte, but if he does leave I think we'd have a good shot at attracting one of the top tier managers available on the market. If nothing else, we offer massive salaries to managers and that alone is a huge draw.

We got Conte because "this time it's different"

If Conte leaves - for the reasons we've heard from ITK - it will show nothings changed.

So what top class manager at the top of his game, who wants proper backing and control of the football side, will we get? Why would they expect anything different to the broken promises met by Conte (should it pan out that way)?

 

[Freddie]

Return of Poch will be a disaster in the same toxic boardroom culture. Poch would be mad to take it unless he gets legal guarantees in his contract.

Reluctant to discuss next managers while we still have one of the best in the job but I'd be interested in a poll to see how many want Poch back next. I feel like those who do seem to be of the belief that it would be unanimously greeted as the messiah returning when in fact it's about 20% of fans who want it.

 

[jpascavitz]

It's pretty spectacular how often the situation changes. I don't think the problem with Spurs is that we seem to jump from one extreme from the next (which we do). It's that we seem to always want to be doing two completely contrasting things at the same time every time. Back Poch at last with a significant outlay, sack manager at first sign of trouble. Signed two expensive creative midfielders, Hire Jose who values combativeness. Hire Paratici and task him with signing prospects such as Gill, Sarr and even Spence, hire a manager who is here to get us aggressively competing in the short term and values experience.

Sounds like we're doing the same again, there's money available but not for what the manager we signed wants. This is why we will continue down this never ending cycle in my opinion. All the approaches have merit to them, they make logical sense but only when you look at them in isolation and don't bring into account that the decision makers at the club continue to counter their own moves. That's why they are able to continue because you can pick 1 half of any of it and use it to justify their decision making but as I say, doing so ignores that we continually once that move is made decide to then go with a simultaneous opposing move that leaves us in this perpetual limbo. We're like a pair of legs both looking to go forward but in opposite directions always.

Yeah I pretty much had something similar typed out. There's rumblings that some in the club are not happy with the academy set up and potential dead end under Conte, yet FP in one season has had to try and support two completely different philosophies and management styles, which I think he did a good job for each so far.

So, I would just love so much to see a few years of FP and the club buying/signing players ready for the "now" even if it's on shorter term deals. In an ideal world we'd win stuff and if Conte wants to leave then as he does with most clubs - then he can and I would be more than happy for Poch to return with more of a clean slate to rebuild the squad with hungry and hardworking players to build his own narrative, even though he deserves better than that, that's what he does so well.

The last thing imo that we need is for another midseason or switch at the end of the season where you have some Conte players that Poch would consider deadwood and we're back to square one.

 

[robin09]

I think Levy has done an excellent job and I'd be very worried about us being able to find anyone who could move us on further, this side of an arab oil billionaire. He would lose some of that good faith though, if he doesn't spend a reasonable amount each and every window from here on.

The stadium is drawing in huge revenue. We've got some CL prize money, all our competitors are able to spend. Let's see the end phase of this project, no more excuses.

 

[dtxspurs]

Perfectly put:

 

[Timberwolf]

We got Conte because "this time it's different"

If Conte leaves - for the reasons we've heard from ITK - it will show nothings changed.

So what top class manager at the top of his game, who wants proper backing and control of the football side, will we get? Why would they expect anything different to the broken promises met by Conte (should it pan out that way)?

Conte's probably the single hardest manager to please in world football, though. Most managers don't hold clubs to such high standards or are as demanding of them in the transfer market. Nor are they as willing to walk away at the drop of the hat.

I agree that certain top managers might have misgivings, but practically every club in world football has baggage of some kind at boardroom level or with managerial sackings. Hell, Chelsea have sacked almost every top manager in world football and they keep hiring decent ones!

If we're willing to offer top dollar and have European football, we'll have some decent options I'm sure. Maybe not the absolute cream of managerial talent, but much better than the Nuno summer. We are one of the 10 richest clubs in the world and pay very high salaries to top managers - it's one of the areas we really haven't skimped on in recent years.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

We are one of the 10 richest clubs in the world and pay very high salaries to top managers - it's one of the areas we really haven't skimped on in recent years.

We buy a Rolls Royce and then expect it to run on lemonade

 

[rossdapep]

What happened to levy and co thinking Conte was the best coach they'd ever had?

 

[knowlespurs]

Return of Poch will be a disaster in the same toxic boardroom culture. Poch would be mad to take it unless he gets legal guarantees in his contract.

Course poch would take it like a shot, therein is part of the problem

 

[wrd]

Yeah I pretty much had something similar typed out. There's rumblings that some in the club are not happy with the academy set up and potential dead end under Conte, yet FP in one season has had to try and support two completely different philosophies and management styles, which I think he did a good job for each so far.

So, I would just love so much to see a few years of FP and the club buying/signing players ready for the "now" even if it's on shorter term deals. In an ideal world we'd win stuff and if Conte wants to leave then as he does with most clubs - then he can and I would be more than happy for Poch to return with more of a clean slate to rebuild the squad with hungry and hardworking players to build his own narrative, even though he deserves better than that, that's what he does so well.

The last thing imo that we need is for another midseason or switch at the end of the season where you have some Conte players that Poch would consider deadwood and we're back to square one.

Yeah I think we need stability, I said a few weeks ago I hope Conte is successful in his own right for several seasons but I also hope he lays the strong foundations and that we then look for a more progressive manager who can build upon that strong defence in a similar vein to how Wenger utilised what George Graham left behind. That might be the route to balance for us but we seem to be trying to do both at once. I certainly agree that Paratici is doing the best he can with the ever changing requirements.