EPL: Antonio Conte aims thinly-veiled dig at Tottenham after exit

Italian tactician, Antonio Conte appeared to have aimed a subtle dig at Tottenham owner Daniel Levy, after being forced to part ways with the club before last season was wrapped up.

Conte parted ways with the Lilywhites in March after a fiery rant about the club proved to be the final straw.

Spurs blew a 3-1 lead against Southampton after James Ward-Prowse netted a penalty in the dying embers of the tie. Conte called his players ‘unacceptable’ and ‘selfish’, claiming that there is a rotten culture and that the club needs to ‘change this situation’ imminently.

Conte concluded the press conference at the time by suggesting that Levy should take some blame for Tottenham’s misfortunes, highlighting the sheer number of managers who’ve enjoyed little to no success. He eventually parted ways with the club.

Since parting ways with Tottenham in March, Antonio Conte has remained coy on his time in north London.

However, speaking at an awards ceremony in Arezzo on Tuesday, June 13, he claimed that “some had decided to settle for less”, a comment that has been interpreted as a thinly-veiled dig at Tottenham. Conte also said that he hasn’t lost his “passion”.

He said;

“The last experience, like all of them really, had some things that were positive and some less so. The experience was wonderful, we did the maximum possible and gave all that we had. When I arrived, the team was in eighth or ninth place, yet we qualified for the Champions League. Then this season, with the side in fourth position, I decided we should part ways with Tottenham. Some had decided to settle for less.

“I still have the desire to coach, that passion never goes. If it did, I would have to look inside myself and think that it was no longer right to continue doing this profession. Having said that, I am also not spasmodically searching for a new job. If something important and serious came along, that gave me motivation, then I would give it consideration, in Italy or abroad.”

Since his departure from Tottenham who recently appointed Ange Postecoglou in his stead, Conte has been heavily linked with a number of jobs throughout Europe including a return to Juventus or a move to Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.