Antonio Conte fuels Tottenham uncertainty with telling message to Daniel Levy

[mawspurs]

Antonio Conte appears to be testing Daniel Levy ahead of the January transfer window with his Tottenham contract up at the end of this season - although Levy could trigger a 12 month extension.

Source: Daily Mirror

 

[whitesocks]

I don't know that it would make much sense to trigger a 12 month extension against conte's will.
It would just mean he would be on gardening leave for a year or we'd be subsidising his salary at his new club.
What is sure, is the moment conte wants to leave, he'll be gone regardless of any extension, and it will be down to the the lawyers of both parties to sort out the mess.

The only purpose of this option, is that it gives a (false) sense of continuity for the players this season. Otherwise, why put yourself out or play in pain or play out of position or agree to go on loan when it is going to be all change in a few months?

It is hard to understand what conte is saying, and who he is saying to - the players, owners, fans or a potential new club. When he does connect and is questioned further, he retracts it and is frustrated that words are put in his mouth.

You can only read him by what he doesn't say, and he has never mentioned this extension. And he will not talk about a new contract. It is hard to conclude anything other than he will be gone this summer at the very latest.

 

[spursfan77]

Cross usually likes to stick the knife into us but is pretty reserved there and quite fair.

 

[yiddopaul]

While I understand Conte wanting assurances (He's not a stupid man, he's very much aware of how Levy runs our club – so Levy only has himself to blame), I also understand why Levy won't commit until Conte does. Conte has a well know record for just walking out on clubs. I don't think any one person or group of people are soley to blame. The players, Levy and Conte are all responsible. Conte is an elite manager and should be able to beat Villa and others we have lost to this year. I want us to fully back him and for him to fully commit to us. But we all know how this ends. We've been so many times in the last 20 years. If (likely) Conte won't sign a new contract, then I say get Poch in now. Don't waste anymore money with someone that won't commit. Poch IMO is the best we're probably going to get.

 

[Guernman]

I don't buy the argument that Levy shouldn't commit until Conte does, what seems to be the fundamental problem is that Levy wants the club to focus on buying players with potential with the aim to profit from their eventual sale, as he has always done, and Conte is saying that if you want to compete then you need to buy players who are already at their peak and who will immediately upgrade your strongest 11.

Levy had the argument historically that the club was focusing on the stadium and infrastructure first, so the buy to sell recruitment made sense, or was the inevitable consequence of having to focus resources on the stadium, but that excuse is now gone. He needs to just accept that he can't always be wheeling and dealing, in this league the top teams are buying top players, and we need to do the same if we want to eat at the same table.

It doesn't matter if Conte leaves and we have brought in players who he has specificially requested, if they are quality players the next manager will make good use of them. It doesn't matter who the next manager is, they are going to relish working with Kane, Son, Bentancur, Romero, Kulusevski, Richarlison etc and dread working with the weak links in the squad whom we all know. It doesn't matter who the manager is, they aren't going to play expansive wonderful football with defenders who can't defend, and they aren't going to make Kane anything less than the world class striker he is.

These are bogus arguments to support the underlying fact that Levy doesn't want to change his spots. But he needs to if we are going to progress. Of course there is always risk buying players, but since Paratici and Conte have already shown a very good eye with the likes of Romero, Benantur and Kulusevski I would be backing them to the hilt right now because even if Conte walks at the end of the season I'd sooner back that scouting to put us in a good position for the future rather than Poch's choices of Ndombele, Davinson Sanchez and Lo Celso. Conte has a pragmatic approach which focuses on a player's suitability to this very demanding league, so I really don't see a bad outcome if he is given license to target the players he wants even if he leaves.

 

[newbie]

Regardless of conte or no conte

We need a top CB or two

We need a Right wing back (or pos right back)

We need a creative mid

Prob a keeper as well but I still love loris

 

[Metalhead]

While I understand Conte wanting assurances (He's not a stupid man, he's very much aware of how Levy runs our club – so Levy only has himself to blame), I also understand why Levy won't commit until Conte does. Conte has a well know record for just walking out on clubs. I don't think any one person or group of people are soley to blame. The players, Levy and Conte are all responsible. Conte is an elite manager and should be able to beat Villa and others we have lost to this year. I want us to fully back him and for him to fully commit to us. But we all know how this ends. We've been so many times in the last 20 years. If (likely) Conte won't sign a new contract, then I say get Poch in now. Don't waste anymore money with someone that won't commit. Poch IMO is the best we're probably going to get.

Thing is though that if Conte leaves and Poch comes in then it's kind of proof positive that this club truly has no direction and Daniel Levy just flounders about. In that sense, I really can't see us ever pushing on because there is no real plan.

 

[WorcesterTHFC]

Regardless of Conte or no Conte

We need a top CB or two

We need a Right wing back (or poss right back)

We need a creative mid

Prob a keeper as well but I still love Lloris

We all love Lloris for what he's done over the years, but if we can get an upgrade on him (or any other player), we should. We can't allow sentiment to get in the way of what's best for the team and the club as a whole. Someone like Bill Shankly or Alex Ferguson would cut a player ruthlessly if that was what they needed to do.

 

[EastUpperDK82]

How many threads do we have now that end in the same discussions regarding Conte vs Levy and ditto transfers ? ??? ... this place is going bonkers.