Graeme Souness has labelled Antonio Conte's decision to takeover as Spurs manager from Nuno Espirito Santo as a 'crazy' one.
After a mini honeymoon period for the Italian that was brought to an abrupt end by Chelsea on three separate occasions, reality has started to hit as he aims to get Spurs back in the Champions League conversation.
After back to back losses against Southampton and Wolves ahead of the Saturday Night Football at Man City, Conte had decided to do an interview with the Italian media, speaking about where his side is at this current moment.
However, the translated quotes that came out into the English media made the situation a lot worse than what Conte intended when he sat down midweek to talk about expectations at the reality of the situation that he finds himself in at this current moment.
"I’ve already answered that. During the interview after the transfer window, after January ended, they asked me about the club, if I was happy, and I said the club did the best that the club could do," Conte clarified in his pre-match press conference.
"We lost four players and I said (raises his voice) important players for Tottenham, because these players that we sent away on loan, Tottenham paid a lot of money. When you spend a lot of money, it means we are talking about important players for the club.
"To pay attention to the future because we need players used to playing in this league and in my last interview, I said numerically, when you lost four players, important players for Tottenham, I repeat because they spent a lot of money, and you sign two players.
"If I had 20 players and now I have 18 players numerically, you can be a bit weaker...numerically. Then I said also with Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, as a squad we are more complete. I think I was very, very clear.
"I don’t understand why someone wants to try to create a problem with me. Not only me but also in the past. I read stories in the past about this club and it creates a problem with the coach and the chairman and the club. The chairman knows very well my thoughts. It’s not important for me to go to the media and speak to the media.
"If I have to speak with him, I go to speak with him. Sorry but I was a bit disturbed by this situation, especially because I had an interview with the Italian media. It means the club now doesn’t want me to speak to Italian media because the translation was not so clear with my thoughts."
Ahead of Conte's immediate assignment after the interview at the Etihad Stadium on the Saturday Night Football, pundit Souness was in no mood to offer the former Chelsea winner any sympathy, as he admitted that he was 'bewildered' and surprised with his 'crazy' decision to be the successor to Espirito Santo.
He said prior to kick-off on Sky Sports' coverage of the game: "I’m slightly bewildered that he took the job, he’s an experienced manager, he must have asked for certain guarantees, in what they’re going to do in terms of investment in certain players.
"He’s a manager who is used to winning trophies and he’s gone to a club with a modest group of players, it’ll be driving him crazy."
What won't be driving the manager in question 'crazy' was his decision to start new recruit Dejan Kulusevski in this fixture as it only took four minutes for the Swede to vindicate that specific decision.
After some poor defending from Ruben Dias, Son Heung-Min pounced and unselfishly set up Tottenham's number 21 for the opening goal of the contest.
"Well Manchester City wanted to sign Harry Kane in the summer due to the guarantee of goals, but we’ve just seen another part of his game. He’s one of the best passers of the ball in the Premier League, Ruben Dias is trying to play offside, disastrously," Jamie Carragher said in commentary
"Son does really well. Kulusevski was mentioned before the game by the manager, it’s a really cool finish."
He also then went on to back Souness' claim with his own verdict on the situation.
"He knew what he was coming into", the Liverpudlian said when giving his views on comments from that aforementioned Conte interview."
Follow coverage of the second half between Man City and Spurs on football.london here.
