The soap opera that is Tottenham Hotspur continues. The trouble is, this particular soap opera seems to be on repeat every single season. And everyone outside the club is still scratching their head over the usual question: Who is to blame? Exactly who is being the stupid Conte? There are several contenders – as in all good TV – and KAF is going to try and work it out for the confused thousands out there. Let’s start with the front runner.
After his final press Tottenham conference, Antonio Conte’s silky hair was the only thing left unruffled. The feathers of the players and the club management on the other hand…ouch! But is anyone really surprised that Conte finally blew a gasket?
ANTONIO CONTE – UNRUFFLED
The Italian Stallion’s time at Spurs turned into a mare. This useless manager (apparently) managed to win nine trophies at four clubs in just 13 years prior to arriving in N17. In his 18 months with the Lilywhites, he’s failed to produce any silverware. So, stands to reason, says the club. The issue is he’s shit.
SPURS – ‘DON’T WANT TO HELP EACH OTHER’
In that same press conference, Conte let fly at the Tottenham players. He called them ‘selfish’, saying that they were ‘not a team’, and went on to describe them as players who ‘don’t want to help each other’, ‘don’t want to play under pressure’, and who don’t ‘put their heart’ into it. Was he just out of order or justified?
They worked as a team, helping each other, when they stood up (admittedly behind Mr Levy) and said, “We don’t like the gaffer. He’s shouty and gets cross when we’re a bit shit. We want what’s best for us – sorry, the club. We’re not selfish. We really care about our salaries – sorry, fans.”
We’re not saying they’re the stupid ones in this fiasco, but do they want another manager? Conte was their sixth in under a decade. In fact, statistically, in the time he took to win nine trophies, Spurs had six managers, and, in Ryan Mason, they also had one more caretaker than they had won trophies.
RYAN MASON – QUALITY CARETAKER OR CHEAP?
So, perhaps Antonio was a stupid Conte for even taking the job in the first place. Another contender for prime chump would be Mauricio Pochettino – at least he would be if he even considered returning to the club and working for the man who cut him off at the pay cheque for getting the club to within arms’ reach of the biggest trophy in Europe. Having said that, perhaps any self-respecting manager who considers the job could claim the Stupid label if they were to turn up for work in such a well-publicised straight jacket.
LEVY – BALD STUPIDITY
But it seems all routes of enquiry lead back to one door. The door marked Chairman. From the outside, it looked for all the world like Pochettino was sacked almost because he took the club so close to silverware. Rank stupidity? Or something rather more sinister?
This is only KAF’s theory, but perhaps Mr Levy knows all too well that it’s Hope that keeps players like Harry Kane at the club; Hope that keeps high-profile managers signing up; Hope that keeps fans turning up. As long as Spurs keep winning nothing, the club will attract players and managers who think they can be the difference. When Conte ranted that Tottenham have no trophies saying it was ‘Tottenham’s story: there is the honour. 20 years and they never won something.’ Is he describing what many believe – that Daniel Levy is running Spurs as a business not a football club?
FIDDLE-DUM AND FIDDLE-DEE
And what kind of business? Did Levy like the look of Paratici’s creative accounting at Juve and draft him in pronto? Will it all come out in the wash? Will the fans turn away? Is this poisoned chalice the only silverware they’ll ever get their hands on?
Will Kane be smart enough to leave? Will Potter, Rodgers or Nagelsmann be fool enough to enter? And will we ever find out who is Spurs’ stupid Conte?
