Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[GutBucket]

Conte and Tottenham's awkward alliance needs full commitment to succeed

What Tottenham need and what Conte wants don't seem aligned, and this marriage of convenience is poised to get only more awkward over time.

www.espn.com

Sources close to the club have questioned whether Conte's gruelling training sessions are fully appropriate for the physical demands of a condensed, unprecedented season with a World Cup in the middle of it.


And so it begins, once stuff like this starts being leaked/spouted whatever you want to call it then there's usually not long left

Agree, it does remind me of that Athletic article that Poch was watching training on camera, not on the pitch, right or wrong it always comes soon before the sacking.

There were also news about Jose's trainings to be too defensive and focused too much around the opposition. He was sacked 2 months after those. I want Conte to stay but there are definitely signs that he will go.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

I've been a major BSoDL for all things than switched to BSoDL for non football related things and am now slipping into the BSoDL for the stadium/training ground only territory. If he was a great businessman, he would see that "goodwill" as used in the business sense, is evaporating.

Sorry, that's confused me. Are you a still a bastard son or have you seen the light

 

[spursfan77]

More quotes

Spoiler: The article

Antonio Conte believes that everybody needs to stay together amid chants from Tottenham fans for chairman Daniel Levy to leave the club.

Spurs slipped out of the top four at the weekend with a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa on New Year's Day. In the second half of the game a section of the supporters in the south stand at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium chanted loudly "Daniel Levy get out of our club".

Conte himself did not escape the fans' anger either, with his decision to bring on Emerson Royal booed and his move to send summer signing Djed Spence into the match in the 88th minute receiving a loud ironic cheer from the crowd before loud boos all round at the final whistle.

When asked about those chants aimed at the club's chairman, the Spurs head coach said: "Honestly, I didn't hear this, but it's important to stay together. In my life, my family also taught me that the truth is always the best solution, even if this is a bad truth. In this moment we are trying together to create a base.

"I understand that fans want to win, to lift trophies, to be competitive. I understand that very well, but to take this step, you need now to create a base, to have patience and I can't tell you something different or I'll have to tell you good lies and I don't like to tell good lies.

"We're working very hard for the best of the club. We're working together. We're in a position where everybody is giving 100%, the players, the staff, the medical department, the club. Everybody, but you know, now we have to try to build. It's important to have patience. Then to win a trophy can happen, but in mind the best targets are the Premier League and the Champions League, not the Carabao Cup or FA Cup with the greatest respect for these trophies.

"We're trying to create a base to become competitive for important targets and be strong. Now in this moment, we are not almost ready for many situations because we started from such a low point but we're working."

​

He added: "The club in this period tried to sign good players - we signed Romero, Kulusevski, Bentancur, Richarlison. The club is trying to do something to accelerate this process. We've started this process and we have to be compact and stay together, and to have patience.

"I understand that fans many times don't have patience but we have to do it, stay together and continue to work in the best possible way. What I can promise is great work, to be focussed for Tottenham. I don't sleep for Tottenham. This has to be very clear.

"I don't sleep, because when I go into a situation I go 120% percent and I'm not sleeping for Tottenham to try to improve the situation, but if you ask me to tell you [the media] lies or to send a message or to tell lies to our fans, I'm not the right person, because my family gave me this lesson: tell the truth and with the truth you can always go forward with your head held up."

That really doesn’t sound like a guy who wants to leave his job.

 

[cjbyid]

Conte and Tottenham's awkward alliance needs full commitment to succeed

What Tottenham need and what Conte wants don't seem aligned, and this marriage of convenience is poised to get only more awkward over time.

www.espn.com

Sources close to the club have questioned whether Conte's gruelling training sessions are fully appropriate for the physical demands of a condensed, unprecedented season with a World Cup in the middle of it.


And so it begins, once stuff like this starts being leaked/spouted whatever you want to call it then there's usually not long left

I feel like every manager since poch and probably before had their training methods blamed as a factor for them being sacked/leaving.

 

[PLTuck]

He's been around the club long enough to know what comes next and most of have been as well. I have said it several times but I don't see Conte here at end of month and this is a clear sign of it.

Fans need to make life at the ground as uncomfortable as possible for Levy from now on. At every game they should be singing levy out in-between songs / chants encouraging the team

The ownership does need addressing, but I'm also very "careful what you wish for" when it comes to Levy and co. He needs to let go on the reins on the football side and give carte blanche to Paratici within set parameters if the reports that he is still meddling are true.

 

[EastUpperDK82]

I feel like every manager since poch and probably before had their training methods blamed as a factor for them being sacked/leaving.

It's just because it's our club.... I feel we are easy to target in the media. They love it... all the time. Right now it's Conte. Twisting and turning every word he says.

 

[mil1lion]

““I signed a contract in November [2021] and found the club in a difficult position for many reasons. Now my task – I understood it very well – is to help the club go in the right direction about the choices of the players, about the work, to organise and to create a foundation. This is my big challenge here. If I want to stay here, then I have to accept this. Otherwise, if I don’t want to accept this, then I have to go.””


“My big challenge is this. To continue to work so strong with my staff and the players, to improve the club, to create a solid foundation.

“If I am satisfied to continue to do this work and to one day see the result I will continue to stay, if I’m not convinced 100 per cent then I can leave my work here.”

This is not a healthy dynamic for a manager to have with a club, and it’s definitely not a comfortable one to support. I’m happy to believe there’s some translation or personal subjective reading here but it’s not like it’s the first time he’s said he’s happy to walk, is it?

That isn't threatening to leave, it's a simple a message that he's happy to stay as long as the club continues to match his ambition. If people want to translate it in a more negative way that's their choice.

 

[archiewasking]

Isn't Lewis' daughter meant to be on Levy's case? I really hope so, we can't afford to lose a winner like Conte. We already broke another winner in Jose.

 

[jurgen11]

He's been around the club long enough to know what comes next and most of have been as well. I have said it several times but I don't see Conte here at end of month and this is a clear sign of it.

Fans need to make life at the ground as uncomfortable as possible for Levy from now on. At every game they should be singing levy out in-between songs / chants encouraging the team

Empty seats would speak volumes. Once the tourist interest for the shiny new stadium has waned and its £60+ to watch us slog it out for 8th in front of 45k every week he might see the light.

 

[Cornpattbuck]

Briefing press on a game day. Classy move. ??‍

 

[Clockspur]

We will spend money this window, but again a question of will we spend what we need to, or even what we can(without overstepping our finances) or will we spend enough to get through the window without too much criticism?

Unfortunately I think we all know what Levy will choose.

We will be a day late and a dollar short as usual

 

[Clockspur]

Are you suggesting that Perisic wasn't his transfer? Or Lenglet that is definitely closer to Conte's profile of dream transfer than Levy's?

I’m saying Perisic was free and Lenglet was a loan with no option.

Not exactly Danny boy putting his spuds on the line with that outlay

 

[The Doc]

That isn't threatening to leave, it's a simple a message that he's happy to stay as long as the club continues to match his ambition. If people want to translate it in a more negative way that's their choice.

Exactly. Some of the interpretations in here make me pmsl. All he has stated is what anyone who has ever had a job tells themself on a regular basis. I even tell my employers explicitly this during reviews.

 

[Clockspur]

I'm almost curious to know what would happen if conte did leave whether now or in the summer (i'm not conte out but i'll admit the total lack of cohesion in our performances is becoming more tiresome with every consecutive game we suck). Whether it's Poch or anyone else, i cant see it turning without the financial backing from Levy that everyones crying for.

Just opinion but i could imagine us being stuck in another Nuno style start to the season for the second time in three seasons and maybe that's what would push the fans patience and Levy's position over the edge.

Not that I want to go down that route - would rather back conte and see results turn, but i could see it happening.

Poch will shield him like he did before with how we want to do things differently - it’s all code for Danny doesn’t want to spend

 

[Tucker]

Conte and Tottenham's awkward alliance needs full commitment to succeed

What Tottenham need and what Conte wants don't seem aligned, and this marriage of convenience is poised to get only more awkward over time.

www.espn.com

Sources close to the club have questioned whether Conte's gruelling training sessions are fully appropriate for the physical demands of a condensed, unprecedented season with a World Cup in the middle of it.


And so it begins, once stuff like this starts being leaked/spouted whatever you want to call it then there's usually not long left

Disappointing that the club or someone in the club is briefing this stuff out, and on a match day no less.

I don’t think it’s an unreasonable criticism though. Our players look lethargic and off the pace.

 

[Clockspur]

‘He added: "The club in this period tried to sign good players - we signed Romero, Kulusevski, Bentancur, Richarlison. The club is trying to do something to accelerate this process.’

Not sure sure that will be but it needs to work and sharpish

They’ve tried everything to accelerate the process accept to pay the amount that makes the selling club cave in. Tried everything else though like being there friend, buying them lunch, letting them borrow a book off us

 

[Clockspur]

Conte and Tottenham's awkward alliance needs full commitment to succeed

What Tottenham need and what Conte wants don't seem aligned, and this marriage of convenience is poised to get only more awkward over time.

www.espn.com

Sources close to the club have questioned whether Conte's gruelling training sessions are fully appropriate for the physical demands of a condensed, unprecedented season with a World Cup in the middle of it.


And so it begins, once stuff like this starts being leaked/spouted whatever you want to call it then there's usually not long left

Too much training for our schitt squad is what did it.

which idiot is going to believe that

 

[SpartanSpur]

Fact is in the middle though...
We did back Conte but injuries have really killed us in 1st half.
Richarlison, Kulu have rarely played. Bissouma took time going. Romero was injured too. Romero & Lenglet have played just 3 PL games together. The one thing we really messed up was not going for the main RWB that really affected Spurs in how we transition. Without the RWB doing the job as he wants, his whole play collapses.

Even now, I feel , if we get our main players back playing and we fill the RWB with a proper one, we could still catch Arsenal by season end or at the very least close the gap well

Next two games will be telling in that regard. I think the gap may well be too big by that point.

I think Arsenal's season so far has shown how far momentum and a bit of luck with injuries/key moments in games can get you.

I do think the squads are pretty close (with them having a more balanced and focused starting XI), we've just had so many more challenges than them this season (Ventrone/Key Injuries/Son form/Lloris form) and it's really taken it's toll on us.

 

[GutBucket]

Perišić who is one of the oldest players and played most matches at World Cup seems happy enough with trainings, even training when has a day off and returned asap to the club after the WC. Kulusevski loves Conte too, probably put out there by some Hitchen 2.0.

 

[ilikeost]

““I signed a contract in November [2021] and found the club in a difficult position for many reasons. Now my task – I understood it very well – is to help the club go in the right direction about the choices of the players, about the work, to organise and to create a foundation. This is my big challenge here. If I want to stay here, then I have to accept this. Otherwise, if I don’t want to accept this, then I have to go.””


“My big challenge is this. To continue to work so strong with my staff and the players, to improve the club, to create a solid foundation.

“If I am satisfied to continue to do this work and to one day see the result I will continue to stay, if I’m not convinced 100 per cent then I can leave my work here.”

This is not a healthy dynamic for a manager to have with a club, and it’s definitely not a comfortable one to support. I’m happy to believe there’s some translation or personal subjective reading here but it’s not like it’s the first time he’s said he’s happy to walk, is it?

He is saying he is employed to do a long term project of rebuilding the team from the foundation. He says he understands that this is his task and that he is happy with that task. If he wasn't happy with it, he would leave. How can you have an issue with that? He is simply saying "I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to do this".