Antonio Conte, Italian coach, is no longer the coach of the Spurs. (AFP)
The Italian Antonio Conte will not continue as Tottenham coach “by mutual agreement” with the entity, the English Premier League club announced this Sunday.
The Italian coach, who arrived at the London club in November 2021, leaves the Tottenham in fourth place in the championship, a position that gives access to play the next edition of the UEFA Champions League.
“We have 10 Premier League games left and it is in our hands to fight for a Champions League spot,” the Tottenham president said in a statement. David Levi.
In that fight, Spurs lead Miguel Almirón’s Newcastle by two pointsbut the ‘Urracas’ have two games pending.
“We have to push all together. We all have to step up to secure the best place for our club and our incredible and loyal supporters.”
We announce that the Technical Director Antonio Conte has ceased to be DT of the Club by mutual agreement. We qualified for the Champions League during his first season at the club.
We thank Antonio for his contribution and wish him the best in the future. pic.twitter.com/23vQyRDmW5
— Tottenham Hotspur (@Spurs_ES) March 26, 2023
Fierce criticism of players and leaders
The situation of Count ended up deteriorating after the 3-3 draw against bottom club Southampton (after winning 3-1 shortly after the end) on the last day before the FIFA Date break, a result that led the explosive coach to harshly criticize their players and the leaders of the entity.
“The problem is that, once again, we show that we are not a team (…) We are eleven players who take the field. I see individualistic players, I see players who do not want to help the other and that they don’t put their hearts into the game”, he criticized after that game.
It also made clear the Lack of ambition from the London club after the closing of the transfer market in January, in which the Spurs were not reinforced as the Italian wanted.
“For me it is difficult to talk about fourth place, because I’m used to higher goals“said the coach who lifted titles with Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan and that he was signed to end 15 years without trophies for the London entity.
But the truth is that the 53-year-old’s 16-month presence has been chaotic and tumultuous, enhancing his reputation as a temperamental coach with a volcanic character.
Although it is true that the objective of winning the Premier League was surely beyond Tottenham’s reach, the lack of results in the national cups and, above all, the elimination in the round of 16 of the Champions League against Milan ended up making explode DT and make his situation in London unfeasible.
The British press assured in recent weeks that Conte has been greatly affected by his health problems and by the recent deaths of Gianluca Vialli and Sinisa Mihailovic, both teammates during his time as a player, as well as Gian Piero Ventrone, his physical trainer during a long time.
Conte will be replaced until the end of the season by his assistant until now Cristian Stelliniwho led the team recently when the head coach was out after undergoing surgery to remove his gallbladder.
Stellini will have former Spurs player Ryan Mason as his assistant, who already briefly and interimly held the coaching position in 2021.
Count is the fourth manager to leave Tottenham in just three and a half seasonsafter Mauricio Pochetino, Jose Mourinho and Nuno Holy Spirit. The London club will also have to pay the Italian 4.85 million dollars.
