Antonio Conte has launched an extraordinary post-match tirade reminiscent of former Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho’s best after Spurs capitulated to draw 3-3 with Premier League bottom side Southampton.
Conte’s side were 3-1 up with 15 minutes to go, before a Theo Walcott strike and extra-time James Ward-Prowse penalty meant they shared the points.
Discontent has been rife of late at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with a 0-0 Champions League draw to AC Milan and 1-0 loss to a youthful Sheffield United disappointing fans and, apparently, coaches.
Questions will undoubtedly now emerge as to whether Conte will see out the remainder of his contract, which is already due to expire at the end of the season.
“They are used to it here,” Conte fumed. “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’s story is this.
“I said I wanted to see the fire and I have not seen it. I said that I want to see the fire in their eyes, in their hearts. I want to see the right spirit. Not only in the training session, but on the pitch because it is here you make the difference.
“Until now, I try to hide the situation but there are 10 games to go and some people think we can fight. Fight for what? With this spirit, this attitude, this commitment? What? For seventh, eighth, 10th place?”
“Being a team is the most important thing,” he continued. “To understand that we play for the badge. We have to play to make our fans proud of us. We have to play to show desire. The fire in your eyes to win. If you have this, for sure, you don’t go out in FA Cup. And today you win.
“I am not used to being in this position. I am really upset, and everyone has to take their responsibility. Not only the club, the manager and the staff. The players have to be involved in this situation because it is time to change this situation if Tottenham want to change.
“If they want to continue in this way, they can change the manager, a lot of managers, but the situation cannot change. Believe me.”
Yet his spectacular rant did not end there. The Italian then said: “The club pay us a lot of money. The players receive money. I receive money and not to find excuses and not show spirit or a sense of responsibility. For me this is unacceptable because for me this is the first time in my career to see a situation like this.
“The problem is that for another time we showed we are not a team. We are 11 players that go onto the pitch and I see selfish players, players that don’t want to help each other, don’t show heart.
“Most important if want if you want be strong and competitive is the desire, the fire in your eyes, in your heart and you have to show this in every moment. Instead, if I have to compare to last season, now we are worse in this aspect.
“When you are not a team anything can happen. Don’t forget, we lost in FA Cup to Sheffield United who played with young players.
“I’m not talking about tactics or technical aspects. To be a team, is the most important. To understand we play for the badge, to make our fans proud of us. We have to play to show desire. The fire in your eyes to win. If you have this you don’t go out in the FA Cup and today you win.
“Where are the players? In my experience, if you want to be competitive and fight, you have to improve this. And this is really low in this aspect. I see only 11 who play for themselves.”
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