Antonio Conte gives Tottenham hope

Since Tottenham appointed the multiple Italian master-maker Antonio Conte as the new head coach at the beginning of November, a different wind has been blowing on White Hart Lane. The lethargy with which one stumbled from embarrassment to embarrassment under his hapless predecessor Nuno Espirito Santo is over. In the last pre-Christmas appearance against Liverpool (2: 2), the team finally showed their bite and, at times, playful quality. Even Harry Kane, who tends to be more elegant by nature, let himself be carried away by a tackle that would have expelled him on another day.

The optimism with which they are now tackling the traditional festival program is in sharp contrast to the horror that the new coach exhibited at the end of November when the Spurs lost out to NS Mura from Slovenia in the Conference League . Only now did he grasp the full extent of the challenge that was facing him, Conte had said at the time. At the same time, he had emphasized that he did not want to seek salvation in the transfer window that was soon to come. “I’m not a manager who says right after arriving: I need this, I need this,” he said.

He didn’t spend a lot of money at Inter (2021 champions), Chelsea (2017 champions) or Juventus (2012, 2013, 2014 champions): “I know that you need quality to get better and to be competitive. But you also need a little time and a vision. “

Where are the winners?

This statement is unlikely to have fueled hopes of a long and productive collaboration everywhere. At Chelsea and Inter, Conte’s “vision” led to success as well as to an early falling out with the club’s management. Just like Conte, Spurs chairman and co-owner Daniel Levy is known for his tough skull. Conte’s contract runs for 18 months, with the option of a one-year extension. It would not surprise anyone if the two men went their separate ways beforehand.

There is still no reason to doubt the star trainer’s magical powers. Although large parts of his staff, plus two Premier League rounds and the last group game in the European Conference League against Rennes (and thus qualification for the next round) fell victim to Covid-19, the troops already looked fitter and more eager to run against Liverpool . It was one of the worst weeks of his life, groaned Spanish defender Sergio Reguilon after the first training sessions with Conte. He still meant this as a respectful compliment.

With the signing of Conte, Daniel Levy has made another U-turn in his choice of coaches. The zigzag started with Mauricio Pochettino, whom he poached from Southampton in May 2014. It was a stroke of luck. The Argentine was young and inexperienced in dealing with seasoned superstars, but he qualified three times for the Champions League with young players like Harry Kane and Dele Alli and even made it to the final in 2019. The 2-0 defeat against Liverpool, followed by a slow start to the next season, led Levy to the conclusion that under Pochettino they had achieved what there was to be achieved. for
it took one last step into the European elite
Winner type.

The dismissal of José Mourinho from Manchester United came at just the right time. The Portuguese’s methods were even less successful in London than with the Red Devils, with whom he had at least won the League Cup and won the Europa League. After his release in April 2021 – a few days before the League Cup final against Manchester City (0-1) – Levy put his hope in a new Pochettino, namely Nuno Espirito Santo, who had performed small miracles with Wolverhampton. It was known, however, that Santo had been fourth choice at most, so his reputation in the new squad was correspondingly weak. He was also exposed to the wrath of Harry Kane, who Levy had refused to transfer to Manchester City. The experiment with Nuno lasted four months.

Names don’t guarantee anything

Not only the fate of José Mourinho, but also the current Premier League table show that signing a star coach does not guarantee success. With Marcelo Bielsa (Leeds), Claudio Ranieri (Watford) and Rafael Benitez (Everton), three seasoned veterans are currently flirting with relegation spots. They were all hired in the hope that the sheen of their name would bring not only prestige and respect but also good results.

The reasons for their predicament are different, however. Bielsa (with Newell’s Old Boys and Velez Sarsfield Argentine champion, later Argentine national coach) led Leeds back to the top class after sixteen years, where they finished the debut season in ninth place. Bielsa insists on a small squad, because that is good for the community spirit. The strategy worked for two years – now it has been torpedoed by injuries to several team supports. He does not expect new players: “The club has invested 130 million pounds in this squad,” he said. «I will not ask for anything more. It wouldn’t be fair. “

Rafael Benitez (twice champion with Valencia, with Liverpool Champions League and with Chelsea Europa League winner) replaced Carlo Ancelotti, who suddenly disappeared to Real Madrid, at Everton in June. He inherited an absurd patchwork of players for which the owner Farhad Moshiri had spent almost 500 million pounds in just under six years. Now he can only hope that damaged top performers like Dominic Calvert-Lewin will soon be able to act again.

Finally, Ranieri (with Leicester 2016 champion) has shown a weakness for difficult to impossible cases for many years. The Watford Lift Association fits the list perfectly. In the past five years, the club has worn out eight coaches. Well – someone has to do the job.