Daniel Levy explains Tottenham’s decision to remove Antonio Conte from managerial position
Chairman of Tottenham Hotspur Daniel Levy has explained why he felt compelled to act and end Antonio Conte’s reign as manager with 10 games remaining this season. Tottenham have confirmed that Antonio Conte has been relieved of his managerial duties just over a week after his astonishing press conference meltdown.
Following a 3-3 draw at Southampton, the Italian aimed his squad and the club’s culture. Conte was always expected to leave North London at the end of the season, but chairman Daniel Levy clearly saw the 56-year-position old’s as untenable and acted swiftly to remove him.
In a brief statement posted on the club website late Sunday evening, Levy explained why he felt compelled to part ways with Conte at this point in the season.
Levy declared: “We have 10 Premier League games remaining and we have a fight on our hands for a Champions League place. We all need to pull together. Everyone has to step up to ensure the highest possible finish for our Club and amazing, loyal supporters.”
Levy believed Spurs’ push for Champions League qualification would end in tears and that the club’s best bet was to end Conte’s reign early.
The Spurs update also confirmed Cristian Stellini will be their acting head coach for the rest of the season, with Ryan Mason serving as his assistant. The decision may come as a surprise given Mason’s role as interim manager when Jose Mourinho was fired in early 2021.
Conte’s final press conference will go down in Premier League history, as he told a stunned audience, “I see selfish players, I see players who don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart [in], I see only 11 players who play for themselves.”
“Why is it happening? Because they are used to it here, they are used to it. They don’t play for something important yeah.
“They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress. It is easy in this way.”
The level of speculation about Conte’s future intensified when it was reported that he had returned to Italy after the draw at St. Mary’s.
There will probably be a lot of speculation about who could take over from him in the long run, with Mauricio Pochettino, the former Spurs boss, being a popular contender for the role.
However, Julian Nagelsmann, who was recently fired, could also be a strong contender. While the priority right now is to secure a top-four finish, Levy, the club’s chairman, is likely to be considering potential candidates for the next permanent appointment.
