Antonio Conte, the former head coach of Tottenham Hotspur, has broken his silence following his dismissal from the club. In a statement released on his Instagram page, the Italian thanked Spurs supporters for their appreciation of his passion and intense way of living football as a coach. However, he also appeared to take a thinly-veiled swipe at the club, following his fiery rant where he criticised “selfish” players and the club’s lack of success.
Conte’s departure from Tottenham came eight days after his final game in charge, a chaotic 3-3 draw with Southampton. Reports suggest that his relationship with the players had completely broken down, with several wanting him sacked. The former Chelsea manager often voiced frustration with the club and transfers during press conferences. His grievances reached a head following last week’s game at St Mary’s when he unleashed his now infamous rant.
Conte was appointed head coach in November 2021, as he looked to steady the ship after Nuno Espirito Santo’s brief but troubled reign. He managed to get the club into the top four despite their poor start, but fans quickly grew uneasy about the style of football. Concerns over the manager from sections of the fanbase only grew this season while results grew increasingly inconsistent. Conte also had to deal with health issues which saw him miss a handful of games earlier this year.
His replacement until the end of the season will be Cristian Stellini, the assistant manager who had to stand in for the boss while he underwent and recovered from gallbladder surgery. The north London club are reported to be in no rush to find a permanent successor. This is despite the fact that three of the biggest names linked to the hot seat – Mauricio Pochettino, Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann – are all currently free agents. It is possible several big clubs could be soon looking at the trio with the sackings of Nagelsmann and Conte over the past few days potentially triggering a managerial merry-go-round in Europe.
Conte’s statement on Instagram thanked Spurs fans for their support and appreciation, saying that it had been unforgettable to hear them singing his name. He also wished the club all the best for the future, but his comments suggest that there may have been some underlying issues between himself and the club.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Conte, but he is likely to attract interest from other clubs given his impressive track record. Tottenham, meanwhile, will be hoping that they can find a new manager who can take them to the next level and help them challenge for major honours. With several big names available, it will be interesting to see who they choose to lead the club forward.