Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Archibald&Crooks]

But that's different, you can hear that person, on the internet you just scroll past and keep it moving you just dont engage. No one has the ability to make you angry especially on the Internet its all in your mind you choose to get upset . Real life and the internet are two completely different things

Who is your preferred coach? Or would you stick with Conte?

This isn't 'the internet' it's SC and you'll behave according to the rules. It isn't a fucking free for all.

You've been given plenty of leeway here but patience will only last so long. Now it'd be good if you took notice instead of coming out with some half arsed excuses for trolling.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Am I the only one who wants Conte to stay? I just feel this guy is getting close to putting all the pieces together and just needs the summer to recruit in a few key positions to make us serious title contenders next season.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Am I the only one who wants Conte to stay? I just feel this guy is getting close to putting all the pieces together and just needs the summer to recruit in a few key positions to make us serious title contenders next season.

There must be others mate, probably they're just keeping quieter at the moment as not all that rosy in the garden right now.

If you take away Conte's illness and mental health and need to return to family, footballwise if we didn't have such bad injuries and had a fully fit squad and added 4-5 in summer I do think he'd be close to the squad he's been looking for and performances and results could significantly improve...however there are also a LOT of uncertainties and it does really concern me that it seems like he needs a heck of a lot of players and investment to fit his system rather than more balance towards coaching and improving the players and providing a system and platform to get the best out of them sprinkled with some new signings.

 

[spursfan77]

Spot on. Poch was a terrible talent identifier but a brilliant, brilliant coach. Sarr and Spence would’ve excelled under Poch this season.

Poch, allied with financial backing and a good recruitment team, would be a huge success. I’m sure of it.

But he won't want that. Remember his "I am not the manager now, I am the first team coach" press conference. He 100% should but I bet he won't take on recruitment advice.

I suspect we will know what is going to happen in that regard by the end of february anyway as that is when Paratici has his appeal. If he fails that and we have to move him on. Then I reckon things will be accelerated on the manager front.

 

[cjbyid]

Am I the only one who wants Conte to stay? I just feel this guy is getting close to putting all the pieces together and just needs the summer to recruit in a few key positions to make us serious title contenders next season.

I'd like him to stay. I really don't see what sacking him will do, yeah the new guy might play nice football but that's about it. The honeymoon period for a new guy will lead back to where we are now.

I do think he'll walk in the summer however.

 

[jpascavitz]

Am I the only one who wants Conte to stay? I just feel this guy is getting close to putting all the pieces together and just needs the summer to recruit in a few key positions to make us serious title contenders next season.

I'm with you.

I think most are seeing the likelihood that he stays being slim to none and have turned their heads towards who can lead us next.

I guess I'm confused how we go from a month ago putting pressure on the board and saying anyone will fail in this current position to now I see some basically begging for Poch back.

Everyone's entitled to their opinions but Conte got us CL last season and I still think there's a shout this time around too. We have the easiest schedule remaining of the currently top 6 sides. Still alive in CL and FA Cup and I really don't think we should just cast off Conte due to bad health, bad year, and the fact we may part ways in the Summer.

From the outside it seems like the players like him and the rest of the staff enough, I don't personally see them "coasting" to the finish line, I'm sure they'd want to win trophies or get top 4 as well?

 

[olliec]

I think we are 4 players away from being title contenders. A keeper, 2 cb and one creative midfielder. Everything is there. We are among the top scorers in the PL along city and arsenal. We are just leaking goals like crazy. I think if we sell son in the summer and strengthen In those positions I mentioned, and have a front 3 of Kane, Richy and Kulu we would be well up there. It frustrates me because I know we are close now.

 

[Black]

Im happy for you.

Just remember that whilst this place might not mean that much to you, it’s the only place some of us have to enjoy a good discussion about the club we love. You can probably do that on match days, the local pub, with your mates etc. some of us don’t have those luxuries so this place is all we have.

If we choose to ignore certain people who aren’t here to add anything constructively, leave us to do what we please. I promise we will afford you the same respect.

I totally get you, I love this club too for some strange reason. But you cannot let football affect your mind especially when we have such limited control in how it operates. I'm currently in a country where football is not big big big and this is the only place I talk about football and possibly with a few friends but but I'm not going to allow it to affect me mentally and have a huge grasp over my mind, life is way too short for that. My apologies if I offended you with my "safe space" comment I didn't intend for it to be so abrasive it was more light hearted comment. Sorry again.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Yep, totally agree.

Thats how it looks from the outside too.

A complete waste of everyone's time. Still Levy got that CL money.

Obviously whats going on personally for Conte is completely unavoidable but what has been avoidable is the lack of defensive reinforcements which is a crucial aspect for any coach building HIS squad.

Conte got Luiz, Kante and Alonso immediately at Chelsea, for example. Defensive core and attack minded left wing back in.

Pep had 2 stabs at it with City, first Bravo, Stones. Then realised that those at the club couldn't adapt to his demands and Bravo wasnt up to it. So spent over 200m on Walker, Ederson, Danilo, Mendy and Laporte to really fix it.

Which they did.

United have spent on Ten Hag's number 1 CB pick, A LB and one of the best def mids in Casemiro. Transformed them.

Arteta spent nearly 200m on Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel and Partey over 18 months.

Footballing people will understand that to become a strong, stable team you need to reinforce the core and strengthen the backline.

Since Toby and Jan wilted, we have only brought in Romero (and Rodon) to bolster this area.

Conte has not had that benefit of bolstering or switching up the backline. He hasnt had a significant outlay here and the only defensive player he got was a loan and a young RWB.

Imagine if any of those aforementioned coaches didnt get those defensive reinforcements?

It's not like its a new problem either. You may have told us, and it was certainly out there, that Conte wanted 2 CBs and a WB for each side last summer.

We got a loan CB, a LWB (Conte's pick) and a young RWB.

Hardly bolstering is it?

Conte is to blame for tactics and selections lately, but then he's not well so who would be at their best?

But Levy and co have absolutely failed once again by not acknowledging and then doing everything they can to rectify the squad's shortcomings.

It is all so absurd.

Hire 'winning coach' because you want to get over the line.

When winning coach says "I need this and this to do that" shit yourself and pull the brakes on.

Too scared to win.

To Dare Is To Do

Daniel Levy is the antipathy of that motto

This is what annoys me more than anything about Levy's tenure, he's wasting our time when he doesn't need to if he had a coherent plan for football success and enjoyment.

Sure I get that no manager or player signings can 100% guarantee anything but I am a huge believer that 'one' can make decisions that give themselves a better chance of a certain outcome.

Jose, Nuno and to an extent Conte are all sticking plaster approaches to a bigger problem which is a lack of coherency and succession planning and consistency on the football side, once you take that plaster off the same wound and issues re-appear.

If Levy had hired a manager similar in style to Poch after Poch was sacked and hired a new DofF who signed players to compliment that new manager then we'd be in a good place right now but instead we are 3 years on, we've been bored toothless and fucked about with different broken promises with no clear plan and it is time and enjoyment we can't get back.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Am I the only one who wants Conte to stay? I just feel this guy is getting close to putting all the pieces together and just needs the summer to recruit in a few key positions to make us serious title contenders next season.

If pushed, it would be my preferred scenario but I can't help but feel swayed by some of the stuff the team have been dishing up. But still, my inner voice says give it more time

Having said that, it's all rather tiresome, constantly arguing the toss one way or the other so part of me just thinks 'meh' so now, rather then get involved in most of it I'm just waiting to see what happens. I think it's starting to get more and more obvious that at some point between now and the end of the season, he'll be gone and it's a shame. Still, this time next year we'll be arguing the toss over Poch again

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

If pushed, it would be my preferred scenario but I can't help but feel swayed by some of the stuff the team have been dishing up. But still, my inner voice says give it more time

Having said that, it's all rather tiresome, constantly arguing the toss one way or the other so part of me just thinks 'meh' so now, rather then get involved in most of it I'm just waiting to see what happens. I think it's starting to get more and more obvious that at some point between now and the end of the season, he'll be gone and it's a shame. Still, this time next year we'll be arguing the toss over Poch again

This requires patience which many on here including myself severely lack give me the candy now!!

 

[Black]

This isn't 'the internet' it's SC and you'll behave according to the rules. It isn't a fucking free for all.

You've been given plenty of leeway here but patience will only last so long. Now it'd be good if you took notice instead of coming out with some half arsed excuses for trolling.

It is the internet and personally I don't believe I was trolling but I guess that's a matter of opinion. But Ill do my best to fall in line.

 

[Yiddo100]

Am I the only one who wants Conte to stay? I just feel this guy is getting close to putting all the pieces together and just needs the summer to recruit in a few key positions to make us serious title contenders next season.

I’m struggling to see where he’s putting the pieces together tbh.

 

[bat-chain]

Am I the only one who wants Conte to stay? I just feel this guy is getting close to putting all the pieces together and just needs the summer to recruit in a few key positions to make us serious title contenders next season.

Not at all, I want him to stay, provided he wants or is able to.

Had we beat Leicester the mood would be totally different, the players decided to have the game off (Bentancur aside).

 

[cliff jones]

Am I the only one who wants Conte to stay? I just feel this guy is getting close to putting all the pieces together and just needs the summer to recruit in a few key positions to make us serious title contenders next season.

I'd prefer him to keep going, than go back to Poch. So much depends on Kane, if he goes, we won't be getting top 4 let alone challenging higher.

I don't particularly like the 3-4-3, or the lack of pressing and reliance on the counter/set pieces, but turning over the set-up every 18 months just fcks everything up.

 

[Trix]

I think despite all the never saying no to other clubs interest (which it now looks like a ploy against Levy) he did want to leave.

I don't prescribe to the same line of thought that if he comes back it would be a disaster. I suspect he is still in contact with people like Dier and Kane and is on good terms with them (whether that is a good or bad thing). I think the squad suits him. I think the club needs the feel good factor back.

This is from a person who was happy to see the back of him a few years ago and I still think it was the right move. We just didn't make the right appointments after him.

Plus. There is no way despite what I have said that he will come back without assurances from Levy. Sure they will be back tracked on eventually. But everyone needs to remember we wouldn't be getting the Poch who joined us as an up and coming manager from Southampton, he'd be joining us as one of the most in demand managers in world football.

Saying all that. Levy will probably fuck it up and appoint Tuchel and then fall out with him in the first year.

I think it's also worth pointing out his stock level and reputation has actually grown since he's left with many Spurs fans purely because of how poor the series of appointments the board have made since his departure have been. They ignore the final 12 months he was here was rubbish, and constantly jump back to the "peak Poch" era. I'm not against his return and he's probably one of the better options we could go with as he will initially see some backing and we do have some very good players at the club, As I say I though I don't think it really matters who it is after the honeymoon period whilst the puppet master is still pulling the strings

 

[agrdavidsfan]

Starting to think he’s undergoing some form of depression on top of this maybe we should offer him the chance to resign

 

[chrissivad]

This requires patience which many on here including myself severely lack give me the candy now!!

I happy to give players and managers time, but at somepoint you need to start to see something to show improvement.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Am I the only one who wants Conte to stay? I just feel this guy is getting close to putting all the pieces together and just needs the summer to recruit in a few key positions to make us serious title contenders next season.

No. I am also a sensible and rationale person that can see we are in a process with one of the best managers in world football. Sacking him is only going to delay where we want to get too, yet again.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

I think it's also worth pointing out his stock level and reputation has actually grown since he's left with many Spurs fans purely because of how poor the series of appointments the board have made since his departure have been. They ignore the final 12 months he was here was rubbish, and constantly jump back to the "peak Poch" era. I'm not against his return and he's probably one of the better options we could go with as he will initially see some backing and we do have some very good players at the club, As I say I though I don't think it really matters who it is after the honeymoon period whilst the puppet master is still pulling the strings

I'm not so sure people just 'ignore' "the last 12 months where he was rubbish" where we also got to a CL Final... I believe that a lot of fans appreciate the incredible job he did and they realise that aside from the few months diamond experimentation, the last 12 months drop-off was due to Poch and the squad being mentally and physically burntout after 5 years of intense effort and getting so close in the PL and CL as well as the impact that not refreshing the squad had. Poch called for a painful rebuild and for whatever reason he didn't get it and that is factored in by a lot of fans.

He is by no means perfect and by all accounts some of his preferred signings were very questionable so that would need to be addressed but in terms of motivating a team, getting the team to play attractive football for 4/5 years and galvanising the fanbase, we've not had a manager like that since maybe Bill Nic.

That all being said if Levy is still pulling the strings then whoever the manager is we are likely to run into the same issues at some point but at least under Poch things might be a bit more enjoyable and we might have more of a longer-term plan.