Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte launched a fiery attack at his players, intimating his time at the club is over: ‘Tottenham never won something in 20 years. Why? It’s the same season, no matter who the manager is.’ Spurs were leading 3-1 against Southampton before capitulating and drawing the game 3-3, the latest in a string of disappointing results this season.
Speaking after the game (as quoted by The Evening Standard), Conte launched a stinging attack on his players and the club, suggesting his time there is over:
“The worst situation is what was happening on the pitch. What was happening in the last few months. What is happening in my second season.
“I think that it’s the right moment to speak because I think that after this performance, for me this is unacceptable.
“I think it’s better to go into the problem, we are not a team. We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart.
“Before today I try to hide the situation and improve the situation with words. About tactical and technical, it’s one situation, about one thing is the desire, the fire that you need to have in your eyes, your heart. You need to have this in every moment.
“This season compared to last, now we are worse in this aspect. When you are not a team you cannot improve. Don’t forget we played against a Sheffield United team with young players and we dropped out.
“To understand we play for the badge. We play to make our fans proud of us. You have to have desire. The fire in your eyes. If you have this you don’t have this you don’t go out in the FA Cup.
“Here we are used to for a long time. The club has the responsibility for the transfer market, the coach has the responsibility. But the players, where are the players? I see only 11 players that play for themselves.
“They are used to it here. They don’t play for something important. They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress. It is easy in this way. Tottenham story is this for 20 years. There is the owner but they never won something. Why?
“It is the very same season, no matter who the manager is.”
