An interesting revelation has emerged out of Tottenham Hotspur following manager Antonio Conte’s recent interview with Italian press…
What’s the word?
Spurs return to Premier League action on Sunday when they face defending champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, where they will be looking to end a run of three straight defeats.
Speaking ahead of the game to Sky Italia, Conte claimed that the club had made his squad weaker.
“We lost four players in January. Four important players for Tottenham, and we brought in only two. So even just in terms of numbers, rather than reinforce the squad, we on paper weakened it,” he said.
“Bentancur and Kulusevski are ideal prospects for Tottenham, because Tottenham are seeking young players they can develop and grow, not players who are ready.
“That is the issue.”
And now, according to Press Association journalist Jonathan Veal, those at Hotspur Way have been left surprised by his remarks. He tweeted:
“Interesting interview from Conte, we’re relying on translation but there seems to be contradictions from what he has said in previous press conferences. Understand those inside the club are surprised at the comments. For info, it was a rights holders interview.”
Ticking timebomb
Indeed, just as talkSPORT’s Jason Cundy described it, these comments are rather “damning” but he is talking facts and it now raises question marks over whether or not he actually wanted these players to be moved on, as initially thought.
It could be a case of poor timing or mistranslation but it’s the last thing the club needs heading into such a huge fixture – Spurs are already stacked against it, considering just how far ahead City are, and now the squad may feel a little demotivated after this interview.
The Italian head coach needs to be backed in the transfer window, something that can now only be put right in the summer as he looks to transform this struggling club on the pitch.
It’s all well and good letting several underperforming players depart but only replacing half of them has clearly left the manager disappointed.
Conte is surely a ticking timebomb at Tottenham as he has a squad full of poor players, a club with little ambition and evidently, he’s yet to receive the sort of backing that he had at Chelsea – where he won the Premier League and FA Cup – or Inter Milan – where he won their first Scudetto in 11 years.
In the 52-year-old, Spurs have a world-class coach but he needs the tools to succeed and this interview merely puts the spotlight onto the club after a string of poor performances.
Losing Conte would be a bitter blow for the supporters, who feel that they do have a high-calibre manager capable of getting them back to the heights they achieved under Mauricio Pochettino.
But you can’t help but feel that this relationship is now only heading south from here on out.
AND in other news, Conte could unearth his next Achraf Hakimi by unleashing “incredible” £25m-rated Spurs dynamo…