Tottenham have confirmed the arrival of Antonio Conte as head coach after the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo in the wake of their humiliating defeat to Manchester United. In Conte, Spurs have landed a proven winner.
As widely expected, the North Londoners announced Conte on Tuesday with the 52-year-old signing an initial deal which runs until June 2023, but with the option of an extension.
Conte had been out of work since the summer when he left Inter Milan, having guided them to a first Serie A title in 11 years. That decision came after the notoriously demanding Italian fell out with the Inter ownership over cost-cutting and player sales.
✍️ We are delighted to announce the appointment of Antonio Conte as our Head Coach on a contract until the summer of 2023, with an option to extend.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 2, 2021
A Premier League champion with Chelsea during his last spell in England, Conte did not appear to be short of suitors after leaving the San Siro.
After they parted ways with Jose Mourinho, Spurs were among those keen to land Conte’s services during the summer.
Talks between the two parties seemed to be progressing well before the Italian had an apparent change of heart.
Spurs’ failure to bring in Conte as well as a host of other candidates led to them falling back on Nuno, whose appointment ended so disastrously with the abject 3-0 home defeat to Manchester United after just four months in charge.
This time, Tottenham have got their man in capturing Conte – but it does beg two questions: what has changed between now and the summer, and why would a serial winner such as Conte take over at a club notoriously shy of silverware?
Addressing the first question, the managerial landscape has changed across big clubs at Europe since Conte left Inter at the end of May.
Carlo Ancelotti has returned to Real Madrid – a job Conte had been linked to. At Paris Saint-Germain, the uncertainty surrounding Maurico Pochettino has subsided, at least for the time being.
Just last week, Conte was being heavily tipped to take over at Manchester United after their drubbing at the hands of Liverpool seemed to leave Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the brink.
Conte was said to be keen, but United gave their Norwegian manager a stay of execution and the team came good against Spurs on Saturday – ironically paving the way for Nuno’s dismissal.
Having spent five months kicking his heels on the sidelines, and with no other immediate options, Conte has perhaps realized that Spurs is the best offer he is likely to receive in the foreseeable future.
Turning to the question as to why trophy-dodgers Spurs would appeal to a man who prides himself on winning, there are factors which will have twisted Conte’s arm.
Spurs’ managing director of football is Fabio Paratici – a man with whom Conte worked closely at Juventus as he guided the Turin giants to a hat-trick of successive Scudettos between 2012 and 2014, before departing and taking the Italy job.
Paratici has been integral to Spurs’ efforts to bring in Conte, both unsuccessfully in the summer and successfully now.
Antonio Conte to Tottenham, confirmed and here we go. The contract until June 2023 will be signed on Tuesday. The verbal agreement is now completed. He’s back in the Premier League. ⚪️🇮🇹 #THFC
Fabio Paratici wanted him since June and changed Conte’s mind. Incredible work. #Conte pic.twitter.com/2TnHBwyq0A
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 1, 2021
According to reports, Conte has been given assurances that he will have transfer funds made available by chairman Daniel Levy to shape the kind of squad he wants.
Despite their lack of tangible success, Spurs is clearly not an unattractive place to work.
Conte already knows London well from his two-year spell at Chelsea. He will be taking over at a club with training facilities that are second to none and with a £1 billion stadium which is among the most impressive in the world.
These are assets which would tempt many to take the Tottenham job.
Although they are languishing down in ninth in the Premier League table, and are enduring the relative ignominy of Europa Conference League football, the Spurs team is not as bad as recent evidence would suggest.
They kept hold of wantaway superstar Harry Kane in the summer, and coupled with South Korean strike partner Son Heung-min Spurs have one of the best attacking double acts in the league when both are on form.
Conte will hope that he can finally draw the best out of disappointing big-name signing Tanguy Ndombele and others such as Argentine star Giovani Lo Celso and inconsistent England ace Dele Alli.
With money available, Conte will move to bolster the squad with players of his choice in January and will hope to push Spurs back into contention for Champions League football.
Last but not least, Spurs will make Conte among the best-paid coaches in the Premier League on a deal worth around £15 million a year, according to The Times.
All in all, Spurs have presented Conte with an opportunity which – while not as glamorous as some of the posts he was linked with elsewhere – appeals in its timing, background circumstances, and potential.
Conte will bring his formidable winning mentality to Tottenham, and could finally be the man to succeed in bringing silverware to a club where so many before him have failed.
Source: RT