I sometimes get the feeling when I look at Antonio Conte ’s record, that he just doesn’t feel the love at the clubs he’s managed.
Look at his record. He’s been a manager since 2006, and been in charge of 10 teams in 16 years (if you count two quite bizarre spells with Arezzo when he was sacked and then reappointed). That doesn’t scream out stickability.
Why? Well a mixture of failure, success and then ambition at the start. And from there, I think it is that factor of not feeling the respect from the club, or the fans. He left Juventus after winning the league and the award as Italy ’s best manager for three consecutive seasons. That, by the way, was his longest spell as manager of any team.
Chelsea was a similar story, trophies, falling out and the sack. Inter he walked after winning the league again. There is absolutely no doubt, he’s temperamental.
Maybe a bit crazy, as so many of the top managers seem to be. He picks fights, he has tantrums, he stomps out - and it seems he almost did that not long after arriving at Tottenham. That’s where the love comes in. I don’t think he’s really felt it from the clubs he’s been at, from their owners or their fans, and that makes him restless, makes him get look for the next gig.
I have a theory. Maybe the fans often didn’t buy into him because they were from clubs used to success, were even blasė about it, and they didn’t appreciate what they had. I’m not having a go at Chelsea fans at all, but they had it so good over so many years, they expected trophies.
So even though he delivered them, they were looking at the club’s style of play and longing for something even better. That elusive double whammy - success with style. And the owners were listening to the grumbles of the players, who didn’t really buy into his approach.
I’ve looked at his recent possession stats. No doubt, he’s a pragmatic manager. He sets a secure base and builds everything from there. They’re a nightmare team to play against.
They drew at Chelsea with 36 per cent possession recently. Last season, they quite possibly cost Liverpool the title at Anfield with 35 per cent, and beat City at the Etihad with 29 per cent. To me, as a manager, that is not the problem so many coaches see it as. With my teams, I’ve always said it can’t be possession just for the sake of it - it needs to be possession with a purpose.
Regular readers of this column will not be surprised when I say I’m backing Conte to deliver top four for Spurs again this season and maybe go even further, to challenge closer to the top. I’ve always said I can admire his ability to organise, and provide that defensive solidity - it’s the foundation every successful team is built on.
His style has proved so effective against the top teams, and for me, I think he has that quality at the top end to be able to deal with the lower teams who will concede possession against them, and defend deep.
What has he done so far? Made them so solid. I saw what he did at Anfield towards the end of last season, and I thought then they’d do well. They’re so hard to beat - resilient, and with the cutting edge of Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son. Give them any space on the break, and they’ll kill you.
So for me, the big factor is whether the fans will buy into that. Will they accept that style, which can be difficult to watch? I don’t think they did at Chelsea, or Juventus, and perhaps even Inter.
I believe Tottenham fans will though, so long as they can see results. I saw against Southampton they went a goal down, and with that defence first philosophy that can be a problems. But the supporters stayed behind the team, and they won easily in the end.
I think if he can deliver a major trophy for Spurs like he’s done at all his other clubs, the fans will embrace it. They’ll think ‘wow, this fella is exceptional’. He’ll feel the love for sure.
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I’ll throw that across to Liverpool. I’m convinced Jurgen Klopp signed a new contract to stay when he originally said he was leaving, because of that undying love he gets at Anfield. They idolise him. That is a powerful emotion, to become an icon. He’s like Shankly. There will be statues of him built.
Maybe if Conte gets that love he’ll feel the same. He’s got more or less what he wanted from his owners - they’ve backed him after his little toys out of the pram period last season. How many has be brought in, six or seven? Enough to keep him happy. He’s got a better team in London that he had with Inter, which justifies his reason to walk away.
He’s still got Kane and Son, too, which is important. They will win lots of game like the Wolves victory this season, defend well, nick a goal through the quality of their goalscorers. And I think if the fans really embrace that, give him the love and the support I suspect he may crave deep down, then I can see them having real success.
