Antonio Conte’s scathing criticism of Tottenham’s players and owners after their 3-3 draw with Southampton left Manchester United fans wondering if they had missed out on a top manager. The Spurs boss lambasted his team for their lack of teamwork and heart, and also took aim at chairman Daniel Levy and owner Joe Lewis. Conte’s outburst came after Tottenham squandered a 3-1 lead in the match at St Mary’s, which left them in sixth place in the Premier League table.
Conte joined Tottenham in November 2021, having previously managed Chelsea and won five league titles across Serie A and the Premier League. He was strongly linked with Manchester United as a replacement for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but the move never materialised. United sacked Solskjaer just weeks after Conte returned to London with Spurs.
Some United fans suggested that the club may regret not acting sooner to change managers, as Ralf Rangnick’s interim spell secured their worst-ever Premier League campaign. However, the club signed Erik ten Hag from Ajax in the summer of 2022, which delighted many supporters.
Despite some fans initially wanting Conte to replace Solskjaer, many now believe that waiting for Ten Hag was the right decision. One fan tweeted that it “could be one of Man Utd’s best decisions in recent years”, while another said that “waiting out for Ten Hag may become one of the best decisions we’ve ever made as a footballing club”. Another summed up the mood by saying that they “thank the stars every day that we managed to get Ten Hag and dodged the Conte bullet when Ole got sacked”.
Conte’s criticism of Tottenham’s players and owners has raised questions about the club’s future, with some suggesting that he may not be in charge for much longer. However, others have defended his comments, arguing that he is simply trying to motivate his team and hold them accountable for their performances.
Regardless of what happens at Tottenham, it seems that Manchester United fans are content with their current manager and are optimistic about the future under Ten Hag. While they may have missed out on Conte, they believe that they made the right decision in waiting for their preferred candidate.