Following agonising speculation, Antonio Conte has finally confirmed whether he has a long-term future as manager of Tottenham Hotspur.
On February 23, in the aftermath of the London club’s 1-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Burnley, Conte set alarm bells ringing with some startling comments. The usually confident 53-year-old struggled to cope with the pressure of losing four out of five games.
He said: “No one deserves this type of situation – the club, me, the players and fans. But this is the reality. I came in to try to improve the situation at Tottenham. But maybe in this moment, I don’t know, I’m not so good to improve the situation. It’s very frustrating because I know we’re working hard, working a lot and trying to get the best out of every single player.”
“I am open to every decision because I want to help Tottenham,” he added.
“From the first day I arrived here, I want to help Tottenham. I repeat: I am too honest to close my eyes and continue in this way, and also take my salary. But it’s not right in this moment.”
However, the Italian has managed to turn everything around. Since that devastating night at Turf Moor, Tottenham have undergone a massive transformation. They bounced back with a stunning 4-0 win against Leeds and an even more impressive 5-0 victory against Everton.
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Conte has overcome colossal adversity to get Harry Kane back in firing form. The English striker has bagged three impressive goals in his last two league games. Furthermore, the head coach has shored up the defence, who are all successfully working together as a cohesive unit.
Conte’s history of leaving clubs
But despite their improvement in their form, Spurs fans still worry whether the Italian will commit to the club long-term. The esteemed boss has a history of departing from teams when he decides it’s time to move on. In a surprising turn of events, he left Inter Milan after Serie A success due to a disagreement over transfers for the following campaign.
In 2014, meanwhile, he suddenly quit Juventus. Once again, part of the reason was due to a dispute over transfers. According to Calciomercato, Conte was told he could not sign Juan Cuadrado, while Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba‘s futures were not assured.
Conte gives Spurs fans encouraging update
However, despite concerns that he may walk out of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Antonio Conte has assured supporters that his sights are solely set on continuing his work at the club.
Speaking prior to Spurs’s clash with Manchester United on Saturday, Conte said: “For sure at the moment there is only one truth – I am committed to this club for another year. The club wanted this, and I accepted it because it was good to get to know each other, then we will find the best solution for both.”
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