Tottenham is set to make a decision on Antonio Conte in the next 48 hours. Following his outburst following Saturday’s 3-3 draw against Southampton, there is growing concern that Conte may be unable to remain as Tottenham’s manager. Conte remained silent on Saturday because he wants Tottenham to fire him. However, his statements represent his long-held feelings, and he had no intention of attacking the players or the board. The Italian’s contract expires at the end of the season, but there is speculation that he could leave the club much sooner. During the international break, Conte will be in Italy for a few days.
Conte has always taken satisfaction in immediately developing a winning mindset wherever he has worked, and he is sorry that he has not been able to do so at Tottenham. He believes that certain players, regardless of coach, are content to stay in their comfort zone and settle with mediocrity. He also feels that if a club’s culture isn’t correct, the club will never be successful. Tottenham finished impressively last season to overcome Arsenal, and this season was supposed to be a continuation of that. Instead, Arsenal players have learned and progressed, whilst Spurs players have settled for mediocrity.
Arsenal reacted to last season’s disappointing finish with hunger and ambition, bringing in players with a winning mindset to bolster their squad. Tottenham, on the other hand, regressed. Mentality, attitude, and hunger have all remained unchanged. New players have brought problems or complaints, and Spurs’ attitude has always been a concern. Tottenham does not play again for a fortnight, giving chairman Daniel Levy little time to decide whether to take action against Conte.
Players and staff are now on a pre-scheduled two-day break and will return to the training site on Tuesday, regardless of the outcome. There has been no public reaction from the players to Conte’s statements, with Cristian Romero and Pedro Porro being the only players to post on social media since the outburst. Conte’s Spurs contract expires this summer, and Gary Neville stated he would “keep him right where he is and make him do his job”.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was under intense pressure earlier this month to re-appoint Mauricio Pochettino as a manager to replace Antonio Conte, with some players and staff begging the Argentine to return and revive the club. Tottenham’s defeat at St Mary’s closed off a terrible March that saw them eliminated from both the FA Cup and the Champions League, leaving them trophyless since 2008.
Pochettino is eager to return to management but must first find the appropriate chance. In the last eight months, he has had various approaches, none of which he felt were appropriate. Pochettino has previously been approached by Real Madrid but was under contract with Tottenham and PSG at the time. Tottenham approached Pochettino in the summer of 2021, but he was unable to speak with them due to his contract with PSG.
Meanwhile, police have announced that Kyle Walker will not face criminal charges in connection with an allegation that he indecently exposed himself in a club. Following the distribution of a video on social media, the Manchester City and England defender voluntarily attended a police station on Thursday for questioning. The alleged incident occurred in a bar in Wilmslow, Cheshire, following City’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Newcastle earlier this month. Walker was handed out-of-court disposition, which means he will not face a criminal charge, and “the matter is now concluded,” according to Cheshire Police.
“Cheshire Constabulary was made aware of a video circulating on social media in reference to an alleged incident at a bar in the Wilmslow area on Wednesday, March 8th,” a Cheshire Constabulary said in a statement. “Police have completed their investigations, which includes speaking with those directly involved. On March 16, a 32-year-old guy from Prestbury willingly attended a police station for questioning. He was dealt with outside of court, and the case is now closed.”
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