Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Clockspur]

I'm totally lost why still comparing to what Chelsea do and like I said before it's not just money. It's clear that the plan under ENIC was to build the infrastructure and then when we can generate more money we can spend more. We've spent a reasonable fee on 2 wing backs in the summer. The only issue is spending on young players for the future and not experienced ones. We did get Perisic for the here and now though. It just seems that Levy has his idea of who to spend on and it doesn't fully align with Conte. Although the comments from Trix about Levy going back on the original agreement is a concern. We spent well last year but we need to do it again this year. If we don't then it's absolutely fair to complain. It just seems a bit premature given the Jan window has only just opened.

We spent £40m on wing backs in the summer, a kid from the Championship and another kid we can’t do anything with for 12 months.

Basically what we did was hire Conte but buy him Poch players. Conte is not a developer of talent, he wants the ready made thing. I’ve no doubt that Poch would turn both into good players. So what was our strategy? None, why are we buying Conte Poch players?

our owners are utterly clueless

 

[Trix]

So you simply want us to stick with Conte because he puts pressure and speaks up against him, Conte only does this as it appears he doesn’t care if he remains in the job. He has 6 months left so it’s easy to rant like he does.

This leaves us wasting time with a manager who has no long term philosophy and not willing to commit to the convictions of his own words!

I agree ENIC need to wake up or sell up! But we are wasting time backing a manager who will almost certainly leave end of season or create a shit storm everytime we hit a sticky patch.

I would rather we backed a manager who plays a style of football we can enjoy watching and that manager is supported financially and progresses the whole football club down to academy!

we are a club that’s fragile In Confidence and have a manager who is causing further turbulence.

yes he has won things but only at clubs who are already at a stage or position to win trophies! That doesn’t make him an elite manager!

We should not stick with Conte simply because we don’t think we can do better or just because he might get at Levy. That’s not going to help us

As for the bit in bold when have I said that is the only reason I'd keep Conte? You've just made that up!!!

You say you'd rather he backed another manager that plays a better brand of football? Why would he do this when he hasn't backed any of the others? Just because you prefer the brand of football? Wake up, HE DOESN'T BACK ANYONE after the first year or so, and never has. They start improving and the funding stops because what he's got should be good enough now right?

and fwiw I don't think he would leave if he was continually backed, within the financial constraints of what we could actually afford that is. As I keep saying if he doesn't care if he's here why is he constantly fighting Levy for funds and players when it doesn't matter to him.

 

[ralphs bald spot]

People are panicing because all the noises from Conte and our 'ITK' guys are that he is no longer going to be backed sufficiently because Levy has changed his mind. This is what we are all discussing here. The past is all well and good, what we need assurances on is the future of the club and the direction we are going. That comes down to Levy and the board which is why the focus is mostly on them.

a message sent out by Conte to protect himself he comes away smelling of roses playing 'it wasn't me' - Levy is entitled to question a manager who has managed the team so poorly for the last two months and producing dour unimaginative football all season - does anyone here not question whether we get back to the champions league with the current style of play or even drop out of Europe completely - you don't rebuild a side in the January window you bolster it a bit make a few improvements

 

[Clockspur]

Wasn't there ITK in the summer that Conte was Levy's last chance as far as ENIC were concerned? Surely then it would be madness not to back him to the extent promised.

Levy knows we have enough fans that will forgive him if he brings Poch back

 

[mil1lion]

Sorry Antonio but this argument simply does not work if you're threatening to leave again from your contract that only has six months left on it.

When has he threatened to leave?

 

[Clockspur]

As for the bit in bold when have I said that is the only reason I'd keep Conte? You've just made that up!!!

You say you'd rather he backed another manager that plays a better brand of football? Why would he do this when he hasn't backed any of the others? Just because you prefer the brand of football? Wake up, HE DOESN'T BACK ANYONE after the first year or so, and never has. They start improving and the funding stops because what he's got should be good enough now right?

and fwiw I don't think he would leave if he was continually backed, within the financial constraints of what we could actually afford that is. As I keep saying if he doesn't care if he's here why is he constantly fighting Levy for funds and players when it doesn't matter to him.

Again spot on.

When will fans learn that the perfect season for Levy is spending nothing and finishing 4th. Poch doing it that season was the worst thing that could have happened.

Record profit guys but we haven’t enough change to buy Porro

 

[Clockspur]

a message sent out by Conte to protect himself he comes away smelling of roses playing 'it wasn't me' - Levy is entitled to question a manager who has managed the team so poorly for the last two months and producing dour unimaginative football all season - does anyone here not question whether we get back to the champions league with the current style of play or even drop out of Europe completely - you don't rebuild a side in the January window you bolster it a bit make a few improvements

I agree with the last bit, I January you buy what you’re missing - A Gakpo, Fernandes, Mudryk

what you don’t do if you have ambition is nothing

 

[ralphs bald spot]

It was a classic ENIC window mate, Richarlison on a pay structure that suited us after Kenwright and Levy had a nice dinner together.

Bissouma at a favourable price from Levy’s best mates at Brighton.

Udogie - not for now though

Spence - Classic Levy youth punt even though the manager doesn’t want him

Finished off with some freebies.

No wing backs the manager actually wants even though they are integral to the managers system. The same good for nothing CB options.

Always half hearted with Levy

he turned down Maddison

he spent half the summer piss balling about with Bastoni whose struggled at Inter this season and even worse Zaniolo some of the failure in the market is down to Patrici and Conte who seem a little blinkered outside Italy

The Bisssouma sign on was a few weeks ago astute business you can't have it both ways

people on here have short memories because most on here thought it was a great window and if you doubted it you were shouted down

 

[Trix]

Wasn't there ITK in the summer that Conte was Levy's last chance as far as ENIC were concerned? Surely then it would be madness not to back him to the extent promised.

Results change fans opinion though mate, always have and always will. If the Mob are publicly against Conte Levy will get another pass unfortunately.

 

[Wig]

Sorry Antonio but this argument simply does not work if you're threatening to leave again from your contract that only has six months left on it.

Where does he say he's looking to leave?

 

[ralphs bald spot]

I agree with the last bit, I January you buy what you’re missing - A Gakpo, Fernandes, Mudryk

what you don’t do if you have ambition is nothing

we are on the 4th I would expect that we may enter the market who knows wait and see

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Nope.

Most will get excited and when it goes wrong that guy will get the same shit

This is exactly what’s going to happen.
Poch will be brought in simultaneously & most will forget that once again, Levy has outlasted another manager ??‍

 

[Trix]

I agree with the last bit, I January you buy what you’re missing - A Gakpo, Fernandes, Mudryk

what you don’t do if you have ambition is nothing

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?

 

[HedgieSpur]

So you simply want us to stick with Conte because he puts pressure and speaks up against him, Conte only does this as it appears he doesn’t care if he remains in the job. He has 6 months left so it’s easy to rant like he does.

This leaves us wasting time with a manager who has no long term philosophy and not willing to commit to the convictions of his own words!

I agree ENIC need to wake up or sell up! But we are wasting time backing a manager who will almost certainly leave end of season or create a shit storm everytime we hit a sticky patch.

I would rather we backed a manager who plays a style of football we can enjoy watching and that manager is supported financially and progresses the whole football club down to academy!

we are a club that’s fragile In Confidence and have a manager who is causing further turbulence.

yes he has won things but only at clubs who are already at a stage or position to win trophies! That doesn’t make him an elite manager!

We should not stick with Conte simply because we don’t think we can do better or just because he might get at Levy. That’s not going to help us

My reason for wanting to stick with Conte is simple. It is not possible to fairly and objectively judge a manager's performance in just 18 games imo. Especially when that manager does not have the requisite quality of resources.

Just as a reminder, Conte took over a horrendous situation and performed incredibly well to get us 4th. As such, his performance could be judged to have been stellar, given the starting point.

OBJECTIVELY looking at his performance this year, we are a few points off 4th and we are in the last 16 of the CL, having topped the group. SUBJECTIVELY, I personally have found the football this season to be horrific, but sack a manager after 18 games, when we are in the last 16 and still in the hunt for CL?

Not for me Geoff...

 

[mil1lion]

We spent £40m on wing backs in the summer, a kid from the Championship and another kid we can’t do anything with for 12 months.

Basically what we did was hire Conte but buy him Poch players. Conte is not a developer of talent, he wants the ready made thing. I’ve no doubt that Poch would turn both into good players. So what was our strategy? None, why are we buying Conte Poch players?

our owners are utterly clueless

This is the big issue but I do feel last year we had a good middle ground. I think the young prospects are great to protect our future. As long as we still get players for Conte here and now. I think we did that last year with Bentancur, Kulusevski, Bissouma, Perisic and Richarlison. We also signed Romero before Conte arrived. Those are all ideal players for Conte but aside from Perisic still young enough to retain sell on value. It would baffle me if we don't do the same this year but we simply have to wait and see what happens. Like I said the Jan window has only just opened so I'm not sure why the complaints already. If we sign players like the ones above to fill the remaining weak areas we'll look great.

 

[DiVaio]

It was a classic ENIC window mate, Richarlison on a pay structure that suited us after Kenwright and Levy had a nice dinner together.

Bissouma at a favourable price from Levy’s best mates at Brighton.

Udogie - not for now though

Spence - Classic Levy youth punt even though the manager doesn’t want him

Finished off with some freebies.

No wing backs the manager actually wants even though they are integral to the managers system. The same good for nothing CB options.

Always half hearted with Levy

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?

 

[C1w8]

Levy knows we have enough fans that will forgive him if he brings Poch back

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.

 

[JOLLHURN]

I refuse to believe spurs need to be run differently to every other club. Our wage bill % is tiny compared to other clubs and it’s hamstrung our squad for years.

 

[HedgieSpur]

a message sent out by Conte to protect himself he comes away smelling of roses playing 'it wasn't me' - Levy is entitled to question a manager who has managed the team so poorly for the last two months and producing dour unimaginative football all season - does anyone here not question whether we get back to the champions league with the current style of play or even drop out of Europe completely - you don't rebuild a side in the January window you bolster it a bit make a few improvements

Who got us into the CL in the first place?

 

[Yiddo100]

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."

‘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