At Tottenham, the house blessing is crooked. Star coach Antonio Conte shoots against his own stars and counts himself.
3:3 with the latecomer!
Spurs gambled away a 3-1 lead over bottom-placed Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday, conceding an equalizer in added time and threatening to fall behind in the race for Champions League tickets.
After the embarrassing defeats in both cup competitions (against lower-class opponents) and the knockout round against AC Milan in the Champions League (0:1 overall), it will be a season without a title for the north Londoners this year and possibly without qualification for the king’s league . Star coach Antonio Conte was brought in to win titles. His mission failed.
This is how you can interpret his angry speech after the final whistle: “We’re not a team. We’re eleven players who go out on the pitch. I see selfish players. Players who don’t want to help each other and don’t put their hearts into it.”
Conte attacks his own player and thus passes on the responsibility. His contract expires at the end of the season. In the last few weeks, the signs have been pointing to farewells on both sides. Conte wants to leave, the club management wants someone else. With his open attack on the players – many of whom were signed specifically at his request – he literally and lastingly cut the tablecloth.
The club and boss Daniel Levy as well as the fans are dissatisfied with the passive and recently unsuccessful style of play. Conte has maintained a pragmatic style of play at previous stations such as Chelsea and Inter Milan. His always the same formation with a five-man defensive chain. A well-rehearsed regular eleven without much room for experiments or development players. But: At the last clubs, it was always characterized by success, at least in the short term. Even the Italian star coach apparently bites his teeth off the “eleven egoists”.
In recent weeks, names like Luis Enrique (formerly Barca, team boss Spain) and ex-Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino (last PSG) have been traded. Actually for a possible takeover in the summer. Conte’s press conference is now serving as an accelerant. The next few days promise to be exciting: will Levy pull the ripcord during the international break so as not to endanger the top 4 race?
It is clear that Conte has a lavish contract, a new coach would cost a lot of money in addition to the Conte severance payment due. A temporary solution would be conceivable, as with the separation from ex-coach Jose Mourinho. Former player Ryan Mason, currently an assistant in Conte’s coaching team, was allowed to end the season as interim coach. Levy even threw out Mourinho just before the club’s important League Cup final against Manchester City (0-1). The Portuguese was also expensive. So a similar variant is definitely within the realm of possibility. In any case, it is questionable how Conte would like to reach his team after the most recent public statements.
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