Tottenham Hotspur’s search for a new manager has hit a frustrating stumbling block once again…
What’s the word?
According to Alasdair Gold, the North London outfit have “pulled the plug” on talks with former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte despite previous reports suggesting that the two parties had held positive talks.
Indeed, the Guardian claimed on Thursday that there was confidence in the Spurs camp that the 51-year-old would be appointed as Jose Mourinho’s successor after a tough seven-week search.
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However, it seems as if the Lilywhites are now back at square one following a breakdown in discussions. Gold wrote on Twitter:
“As already stated by @Dan_KP and @Matt_Law_DT, [the] word just now coming out of Spurs that they’ve completely pulled [the] plug on talks with Conte, despite promising early discussions.
“Utter mess from Spurs really. Went in [a] completely different direction to what they were looking for initially with a very different type of manager and character and then weirdly shocked when they realised he didn’t fit their means or that profile they were looking for.
“Bizarre waste of a week or so. As I said earlier, Fabio Paratici still expected to join the club.”
Another big blow
This news will come as another devastating blow to everyone in N17 right now, and as you can see in the replies to Gold’s tweet, there are not many supporters happy with this news.
One put the brunt of the blame on the club’s ownership, the ENIC Group, claiming that “they’ve managed to destroy this club.” Another fan suggested it was “embarrassing” for Levy and the owners, with a further member of the Lilywhites faithful echoing Gold’s thoughts that it was just all one big “mess.”
It’s not the first time that Spurs have targeted a manager in this process, only for it to fall through for some reason.
Initially, RB Leipzig supremo Julian Nagelsmann was widely touted as Levy’s top target. He opted to join Bayern Munich instead, which is quite understandable.
If you’re picking between the Bundesliga champions, who have a place in the Champions League, and a struggling Europa Conference League side, then there’s only one winner.
Then there was a fiasco over Brendan Rodgers. The Leicester City boss quickly ruled himself out of the running and has since gone onto clinch the FA Cup.
And of course, in recent weeks, Mauricio Pochettino had been linked with a sensational return to the club. Both parties wanted it to happen as well, according to The Athletic, but Paris Saint-Germain were never letting him go.
Therefore, this latest development is only going to anger a fanbase that is already left reeling by Levy’s decisions off the pitch.
Many have protested against the chairman and the owners following failed plans to launch a European Super League but that was merely the culmination of their serious lack of ambition.
Failing to land Conte, a nine-time major trophy winner – of which a Premier League and FA Cup feature – is further evidence that the club isn’t progressing forward but rather, going backwards.
Just as Gold says in his damning claim, it’s an “utter mess” at Spurs right now.
AND in other news, Levy heading for unforgivable Spurs mistake on 48 y/o who’s “proven himself incapable”…