Antonio Conte’s tenure as manager of Tottenham Hotspur has come to an end after a series of controversial comments about his players’ selfishness and lack of fight during a recent press conference.
The Italian coach was reportedly furious at wing-backs Ben Davies and Pedro Porro for failing to swap over to their natural positions during a recent match against Southampton, which resulted in a 3-3 draw.
In a post-match press conference, Conte unleashed a tirade against his players, accusing every single one of being selfish and playing for themselves rather than the team. He also stated that the squad lacked the fight and desire needed to see out wins. These comments were particularly remarkable given that half of the squad had been signed during the last three transfer windows, while Conte was in charge.
Before the news broke that Conte would be leaving the club, Alasdair Gold, a journalist for Football.London, had reported that one of the things that had angered the coach during the Southampton match was his wing-backs failing to swap over to their natural positions.
According to Gold, midway through the first half, Porro was operating as a left wing-back, and Davies was on the opposite flank after defending a corner. Since the ball had not gone out of play for a few minutes, the two players carried on in their unnatural roles while waiting for a break in play to swap over. Eventually, Conte became furious and screamed at the two players, with Porro and Davies only then sprinting over to their natural positions.
The Telegraph reported that Tottenham and Conte were expected to part ways within the next week, bringing an end to the Italian’s time in charge. It remains to be seen who will take over from Conte as the next Tottenham manager. However, the controversy surrounding his comments and his management style is likely to be a factor in the decision-making process.