Italian manager Antonio Conte didn’t hold any punches after Tottenham Hostspur’s 3-3 draw against 20th-placed Southampton in Premier League. Conte went on to call his players selfish as the former Chelsea gaffer was livid after the Spurs conceded two late goals after being in a commanding position at 3-1.
Scoring three big goals by the 74th minute, Tottenham were cruising to a regulation win when they conceded two goals in the remaining 16 minutes. This mishap also included a 93rd-minute penalty netted by Saints’ star James Ward-Prowes which sent the tempers flying in the Spurs' locker room.
Reacting to the draw, Antonio Conte slammed the players for not playing like a team and deemed the performance unacceptable. He further called players to be selfish and criticised them for not helping each other on the pitch.
Conte said, “I think that it’s the right moment to speak because I think that after this performance, for me this is unacceptable. We are winning 3-1, in control and concede two goals and Fraser (Forster) made saves. 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.”
The ex-Inter Milan manager further slammed the team management and the owners as he questioned the lack of a winning mentality in the club for over the last 20 years. Conte also expressed that he often tries to defend and protect his players after a difficult result but this performance warrants tough criticism.
He said, “It is easy in this way. Tottenham’s story is this, 20 years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stay here. I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench. You risk to disrupt the figure of the manager and to protect the other situation in every moment. Until now I try to hide the situation but now, no, because I repeat I don’t want to see what I have seen today.”
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