Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Albertbarich]

I've thankfully been working and had the chance to think and calm down about it all.

It's pretty upsetting seeing us get humiliated like that.

I don't see how we can't apportion blame at everyone.

Levy's running of the football club(not company) has been beyond shambolic, Conte just sucked the joy and fun out of everything, gaslit people into thinking were worthless and was stubborn to a fault, stallini is way out of his depth and the players today were gutless, totally gutless and weak

I've defended the players as I think they have had some terrible coaching this season which has effected them but today they proved their former coach right.

I don't think it's worth defending Conte because with that rant he couldn't stay and he didn't want to. To be honest I just want the club to throw us a bit of hope. It's all so soul destroying.

 

[-Afri-Coy-]

A lot of the players need upgrading. I don’t think many people would dispute that.

Do you honestly not think though, that a decent coach, ie someone who actually coaches and improves players wouldn’t have done better with the same group?

I bet Eddie Howe would have got a better tune out of what we’ve got than Conte.

Your question seems very biased, but I’ll answer as best I can without seeming argumentative. You’re entitled to your opinion.

Trying to exclude Conte from being a “decent” coach is laughable. He has been successful everywhere he’s been and he will be wherever he goes next. We don’t need to argue the semantics, the numbers don’t lie.

I don’t think any manager does better if they had lost what Conte has this season. 2 close friends and a gall bladder which he carried around for a while. We can’t discount how much these things affected his ability to coach.

I think we would have to make big changes to the 11 to see any noticeable difference under any manager. I’m not saying we don’t have young potential in the club, but we need to add more quality

 

[Harrier]

No manager is getting anything out of a whole bunch of these players though.

Maybe a different coach would have got more out of them, but dont forget we finished 4th by a miracle under Conte last season and he got a lot out of the same players. It wasn't all bad as some like to paint it. Any manager would have struggled in the circumstances surrounding the club, the health complications and the personal loss that Conte did too this season. I'm doubtful anyone would have done better.

As for next season; regardless of who the manager is look at what we need;
Lloris is finished. We need a new GK.
Dier is not good enough. We need at least one new CB. It could be Lenglet if reports are true about a deal being agreed and we've all seen he's not the level we need.
Romero doesn't even look great lately.
Porro is wing back we're going to sign for 40m but everyone seems to want us to play a back 4 so thats a waste of money in all likelihood but I'm sure he could probably learn to play at RB.
Davies/Perisic/Sess all have their plusses but none of them are the answer to the LB situation. Hopefully Udogie works out but again he's more of WB than a FB so who knows?
Midfield we need someone with creative spark, those players don't come cheap.
Kane might be on the way out.
Son, who knows what Son we're going to see.
Kulu has been horrific most of the season.
Richy has barely played but he'll probably be our starting striker next season.

Couple that with having to get rid of the likes of Sanchez, Tanganga, and our loan returns Ndombele, Lo Celso, Winks Gil and anyone elae, I don't see all of that being addressed and we're still going to be looking at a lot of plodders.

Levy isn't going to allow any man to get rid of everyone he wants and sign the players he wants. Even if we have a new DOF, it's not happening.

I’d concentrate our purchases on GK, CB, LB, CAM and raise what we can by shipping out the deadwood.

 

[spurs mental]

I’d concentrate our purchases on GK, CB, LB, CAM and raise what we can by shipping out the deadwood.

All well and good but how can we be confident that the club will?

We can barely scratch our arse and any of the deadwood isn't being sold to clubs in the PL and most of Europe is broke or isn't taking our deadwood on the wages they're on or the money Levy will demand. Not only that but the players have to want to move which is another issue in itself. It's too comfortable here. They know they can outlast another manager because its easier for Levy to sack a manager than get rid of players.

 

[Harrier]

All well and good but how can we be confident that the club will?

We can barely scratch our arse and any of the deadwood isn't being sold to clubs in the PL and most of Europe is broke or isn't taking our deadwood on the wages they're on or the money Levy will demand. Not only that but the players have to want to move which is another issue in itself. It's too comfortable here. They know they can outlast another manager because it’s easier for Levy to sack a manager than get rid of players.

That’s patently not accurate though when you look at the players that were shipped out on loan and even Doherty had his contract cancelled.

 

[spurs mental]

That’s patently not accurate though when you look at the players that were shipped out on loan and even Doherty had his contract cancelled.

The players were sent out on loan because nobody wants to buy them/pay the wages/can afford what Levy will demand which I said earlier in my post.

Doherty contract was cancelled after we realised we had too many players out on loan. Not on purpose.

 

[Harrier]

The players were sent out on loan because nobody wants to buy them/pay the wages/can afford what Levy will demand which I said earlier in my post.

Doherty contract was cancelled after we realised we had too many players out on loan. Not on purpose.

Whatever the semantics, the manager wanted them gone from the playing squad and they were gone.

 

[Viking78]

An ever growing list of managers/coaches come and go. A core of players and the ownership stays throughout. The same pattern of false dawns/ultimate failure and implosion repeats ad nauseam.

"Managers have to take some of the blame." - still far too many Spurs fans.

I quite frankly wish I could see the back of every single one of them. Levy, Kane, Son etc. All of them. Nuke it from orbit and start over. What once might have been is so far in the rearview now that it's just increasingly depressing to contemplate.

Arsenal gave Arteta the patience and leeway that we didn't give to Poch before he'd done anything at Arsenal - or hell even in management. Anyone think anyone involved in running this club has the stones for that? No, me neither. The chance for this club to ever really change its way has come and gone under the current regime. And in the meantime the game has moved on and other clubs are getting their houses in order.

Your question seems very biased, but I’ll answer as best I can without seeming argumentative. You’re entitled to your opinion.

Trying to exclude Conte from being a “decent” coach is laughable. He has been successful everywhere he’s been and he will be wherever he goes next. We don’t need to argue the semantics, the numbers don’t lie.

I don’t think any manager does better if they had lost what Conte has this season. 2 close friends and a gall bladder which he carried around for a while. We can’t discount how much these things affected his ability to coach.

I think we would have to make big changes to the 11 to see any noticeable difference under any manager. I’m not saying we don’t have young potential in the club, but we need to add more quality

Not quite true. Conte got it horribly wrong at Atalanta and had to leave for his own safety baically.

Since that stint he's been very good. We did well last season towards the end but i think it's pretty clear the 343 never really suited. Would this have been different if Porro had a full preseason and Sess was able to share more of the workload on left....quite possibly but the system has looked wrong against majority of the sides we've faced. I think there is only a handful of games where we have finished assured of the win, which bearing in mind some of the teams is pretty poor.
Maybe outside issues affected Conte for sure, but i can't help but feel his tactics and stubbornness have had a detrimental impact on Son and Kulu in particularly.

I think we are now very much where the situation has dictated. Utter confusion and some lethargy.

A season out of the Champions league may help reset but it has to be done to a large degree this summer to get us back on track. We may not get the best players around but id rather we buy lesser names with high potential. In any case, Arsenal signed Zinchenko and Jesus without Champions League football.

Europa league if we finish that high will allow some younger players to be integrated into the team and hopefully give Kane (?) a breather.

Team does have some real talent but it's all hiding at present.

 

[ralphs bald spot]

You’re talking about adult, professional, top level footballers here not a team of under 7’s that need nurturing and coaching.

The performance today is simply inexcusable. I can’t for the life of me understand how you still refuse to put any blame on them whatsoever.

At what point does the money become enough of a motivating factor? I remember everyone shitting down Conte’s throat for not earning his wage but God forbid you expect the same from the players.

I don’t care about “confidence” and “tactics” I care about discipline, professionalism and pride for the badge. They completely disrespected every single one of us today.

But once again, everything we are discussing now is a tangent. This is the Conte thread and my point still stands. He was right about the players and the club.

Funnily enough the only element of the club he had any affection and admiration for were the fans. He always made it a point to mention the fans. Even in his meltdown the main point of his outburst was the disrespect towards the fans. Who show up for the club matchday after matchday.

He genuinely cared about us and yet some of you refuse to see or admit that. It didn’t work out, but he cared about us. A hell of a lot more than these shite, unprofessional players have.

And yet here we are, the biggest element of the club slagging off the man who cared enough to say something about this bullshit. Bad timing. But He was right.

I am not dismissing the players at all - but there has been a total lock of leadership at the club - manager, boardroom the lot the players are not seperate from that and is it any surprise that the chaos has eventually been reflected on the pitch in fact it has been all season but some people though it was ok because we were 4th but it was never sustainable - the chaotic environment the lack of any meaningful progressive tactics have come home to roost -

you can't seperate what has happened at this football club this season by just saying the players ain't good enough they are not brave enough whatever its nonsense . Ultimately this season has been a shit show week after week and this isn't all down to the players - of course there needs to be significant change on the pitch and your right no team should be blown away in 20 minutes but when a ship is rudderless it can happen. No one doubts there needs to be significant change and if Kane goes we are a bottom half side without some significant investment and people were laughing at that not that long ago

 

[RUWatching]

At press conferences, Conte always corrected journalists to not judge opposition teams on form but their recent history. ie Chelsea, Liverpool, etc.

Last season we finished 4th and had a preseason where we brought players that most pundits and this forum thought would push us to challenge for the title.

Surely, judging from this season alone, it's clear that the biggest blame should be with Conte.

My beef with him and his comments was the obvious complete self protection irrespective of its effect on the club or team. That and the utter boring football of Suffering for 90mins hoping for one or 2 counter attacks. Whether he was right or not right and in what context is to me, completely irrelevant.

 

[Metalhead]

At press conferences, Conte always corrected journalists to not judge opposition teams on form but their recent history. ie Chelsea, Liverpool, etc.

Last season we finished 4th and had a preseason where we brought players that most pundits and this forum thought would push us to challenge for the title.

Surely, judging from this season alone, it's clear that the biggest blame should be with Conte.

My beef with him and his comments was the obvious complete self protection irrespective of its effect on the club or team. That and the utter boring football of Suffering for 90mins hoping for one or 2 counter attacks. Whether he was right or not right and in what context is to me, completely irrelevant.

He's paid the price but he's certainly not the only one responsible.

 

[RUWatching]

He's paid the price but he's certainly not the only one responsible.

For sure. rarely is.

 

[mattdefoe]

He may of been right BUT his system and way to play without the ball was painful on this group of players it does not work when you have attacking flair, and a weak defence/ goalkeeper

the early season poor performances have eventually caught up on the team

if we had an identity of playing with the ball we’d be still need upgrade’s in the squad but it wouldn’t be as much of a painful watch as it has been all season

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

It was a big mistake to sack Conte.

It really was the worst possible move, given the circumstances. First, it let Conte off easy. Conte stirred the hornet's nest with his post-match comments. He should have been the person to deal with the aftermath with the players. As it was, Conte left, as was able to simply move on without his own accountability - he left when the team was in 4th, and distances himself from the free-fall.

Second, it allowed the players to, yet again, avoid their own responsibility for this mess, and let the manager take the fall. Just like Poch. Just like Mourinho. Just like Nuno. Not once have the club, or really the fans, held the players responsible. These are professional athletes who should not need hand-holding or cajoling from manager to give their best efforts.

No - Conte and the players should have been forced to work together to find a solution or sink together. It was simply taking the easy way out to part ways.

 

[Beefyboy]

It was a big mistake to sack Conte.

It really was the worst possible move, given the circumstances. First, it let Conte off easy. Conte stirred the hornet's nest with his post-match comments. He should have been the person to deal with the aftermath with the players. As it was, Conte left, as was able to simply move on without his own accountability - he left when the team was in 4th, and distances himself from the free-fall.

Second, it allowed the players to, yet again, avoid their own responsibility for this mess, and let the manager take the fall. Just like Poch. Just like Mourinho. Just like Nuno. Not once have the club, or really the fans, held the players responsible. These are professional athletes who should not need hand-holding or cajoling from manager to give their best efforts.

No - Conte and the players should have been forced to work together to find a solution or sink together. It was simply taking the easy way out to part ways.

We didn't sack him. He had an insane public melt down and flew straight out to Italy. We then mutually agreed termination.

Do you really think there was a chance he woukd come back after the saints game and just pick up again?

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

We didn't sack him. He had an insane public melt down and flew straight out to Italy. We then mutually agreed termination.

Do you really think there was a chance he woukd come back after the saints game and just pick up again?

We should have forced him into that confrontation - or, forced him to walk away on his own, with no "mutual agreement".

We let him off easy - and we should not have done that.

 

[Gb160]

We should have forced him into that confrontation - or, forced him to walk away on his own, with no "mutual agreement".

We let him off easy - and we should not have done that.

Its easy to say stuff like this, but no-one on here has the slightest clue about Conte's mental state come the end, the poor fucker had a really shitty year.

 

[mil1lion]

What happened to the next manager thread?

None of them want it so thread closed

 

[ralphs bald spot]

It was a big mistake to sack Conte.

It really was the worst possible move, given the circumstances. First, it let Conte off easy. Conte stirred the hornet's nest with his post-match comments. He should have been the person to deal with the aftermath with the players. As it was, Conte left, as was able to simply move on without his own accountability - he left when the team was in 4th, and distances himself from the free-fall.

Second, it allowed the players to, yet again, avoid their own responsibility for this mess, and let the manager take the fall. Just like Poch. Just like Mourinho. Just like Nuno. Not once have the club, or really the fans, held the players responsible. These are professional athletes who should not need hand-holding or cajoling from manager to give their best efforts.

No - Conte and the players should have been forced to work together to find a solution or sink together. It was simply taking the easy way out to part ways.

Conte burn't his bridges it was a cowardly way out the side has failed all season and the last few weeks have been waiting to happen - the players aren't totally to blame and neither are they responsible for the mess the football club finds itself - blaming players for failure is failing to look at the real problems that the football club has which stack down from the top with some poor managerial appointments who have been disaster both on and off an pitch-

Professional athletes or not you need guidance and leadership which there is a clear lack of they are not removed from the chaos around them and nor should they be - unfortunately when you lack leadership in a club its easy to down tools their manager did and laid into the players which is barrier no manager should ever do this is the price we pay for it

 

[FinnYid]

It was a big mistake to sack Conte.

Biggest mistake was appointing him in the first place. Anyway reports doing rounds it was more of a case of Conte refusing to come back from Italy.