Yes, yes, Tottenham has predictably failed. Again.

We have already quoted Antonio Conte's statements after the draw against Southampton (3:3). The Tottenham coach ran into the players and the club owners. After this, the resignation suggested itself and happened on the night from Sunday to Monday.

Usually, in such cases, the head coach leaves with his staff. However, this time (with the approval of Conte), Tottenham remained in charge until the end of the season, his assistant Christian Stellini. He led the team when the head coach was absent due to surgery. And by the way, the statistics are impressive. Under Stellini, the team won all four matches: 2:1 (Marseille), 1:0 (City), 2:0 (West Ham), and 2:0 (Chelsea).

What is Conte's fault?

Conte has always balanced on the edge of the characteristics of "impulsive" and "toxic." However, now he did not just demand transfers, as is usually the case, but publicly complained to the players. He also pricked his club due to the lack of trophies and blamed the club owners for this. This was done rudely and contrary to corporate ethics.

Conte was considered a guarantee of results. Juventus, Chelsea, Inter - everywhere the coach won the championship. At the same time, we must remember the lack of developments in the Champions League. Suffice it to say that the last time in the 1/4 finals of the Champions League, Conte came out 10 years ago, when his Juventus passed Celtic in the 1/8 finals. Although taken as a whole, the coach gave results. Still, to win both the championship and European competitions at the same time is almost unrealistic.

It so happened that two trends collided. A coach that brings trophies and a club that doesn't win anything. As a result, Tottenham won - and its rules of life. The Italian could not agree with this and shifted the blame from himself to the players and owners.

What is Tottenham's fault?

The explosive nature of Conte is something that has always been known. If, in other cases, there are rumors and insiders about a person's character, then in this case, the coach made enough public statements so that everyone understood what kind of character he had. His anger is included in the cost of the coach. It is likely expected that something like this would end.

As for transfers, the situation was somewhat borderline. It cannot be said that we spent too much or too little for a top club. And it's hard to say how many players were taken under the coach. Some transactions were clearly at the initiative of the Italians - for example, Perisic and Kuluszewski. On the other hand, they took Spence, who did not need the coach, and the coach's eloquent statement followed: "The club decided to buy him." The most mysterious remains the signing of Richarlison. We need to find out how much Conte wanted to see him. Even when he was healthy, we only know that he received little time on the field, but there may be different explanations.

Now for what we know for sure. The coach has only worked part of the season for Tottenham in four years. Pochettino left during the 2019/2020 season. Mourinho - during the 2020/2021 season (a few days before the League Cup final!). Espirito Santo - during the 2021/2022 season. And now Conte during the 2022/2023 season. And this is against the background of the fact that success in the Premier League is more likely to be achieved by teams where coaches have been working for years - Guardiola and Klopp. Plus, Arteta, who has been in charge of Arsenal since 2019, is starting to turn out. In this situation, Tottenham initially looks like something other than a club planning for the long term.

And what is not the fault of either Conte or Tottenham?

It so happened historically that the club plays in the championship of England - the most competitive league in the world. It would be best if you showed something special to win the Premier League, especially when there is a stable city like Guardiola. To some extent, it's expected that Tottenham won't win the Premier League. There are high expectations here.

The club's problem is that the lack of success weighs on it. The top club guaranteed itself that for the 15th consecutive season; they were left without a trophy. And there is an element of coincidence here, some banal lousy luck. Just think: Tottenham Hotspur reached the Champions League final, but they have never even caught the FA Cup or League Cup in so many years.

And in general, the success of Tottenham depends on the criteria. The club has played in the Champions League five times in the last seven years, which is a success to some extent. And if you take Conte, then he last season with titanic efforts but broke into the top 4. And in this, he could if he had not freaked out.

28.03.2023