Tottenham officially parted company with head coach Antonio Conte on Sunday after 16 months in charge.
Conte guided Spurs to a top-four finish in the Premier League upon taking over last season, but a 2022-23 campaign that promised plenty has proved incredibly underwhelming.
Spurs may again occupy fourth place, though some patchy form – particularly on their travels – has allowed Newcastle United to move to within two points with two games in hand.
After exiting the FA Cup and Champions League in quick succession, Conte's position was called into question amid suggestions he was seeking a way out of the club.
And after letting a two-goal lead slip in a 3-3 draw with bottom side Southampton in what turned out to be his final game in charge, the Italian criticised his players for being "selfish" and "not playing with a heart".
But does the blame for Spurs' latest trophy-less season really lie with Conte? After all, he is the seventh permanent boss to fail to win a trophy since their 2008 EFL Cup triumph.
Here, two Stats Perform writers argue the case for and against Conte's exit.
THE CASE AGAINST (ED HARDY)
The more things change, the more they stay the same
The boss is often shown the door because it is easier to remove one person than a full squad of players. But how many more world-class coaches do these Tottenham players have to go through before it is realised that the fault lies with them?
Over the years, much of this squad has been responsible for the downfall of Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho. Although the two managers were not completely void of any blame, it was not their fault that these players suffered a cup exit to League Two Colchester United, let a three-goal lead slip in the final 10 minutes against arch rivals West Ham, or went crashing out of the Europa League with a shock 3-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb.
Each time the boss played his strongest players, but embarrassment still occurred. Those embarrassments have continued into this season. How was Conte to blame for Tottenham's FA Cup defeat to Sheffield United when he was not even there? He was still in Italy recovering from surgery. Spurs did not even play a much-changed side that day either, as most first-choice players started, and yet they still lost.
From kick-off, the Bramall Lane crowd were right on the Spurs players and they did not like it. After the draw at Southampton, one of the many things Conte said was that his players do not want to play under pressure. He was right. There is a lot of quality at the club, but that is overshadowed by too many players who are not good enough. Japhet Tanganga, Davinson Sanchez, Clement Lenglet, Ryan Sessegnon and Lucas Moura, just to name a few, are not up to the standard and yet apparently that was Conte's fault?
Patience was what was required for Conte to turn the situation around – it took Mikel Arteta three years to do so at Arsenal, for example – and get a squad capable of challenging.
However, that has not happened in this case and once again a world-class coach – who won a league title with Inter in Serie A the season before joining Spurs – has been dragged down by his players.
Too much deadweight
It is important to first debunk a myth that Conte was not backed by the board, because he was. From Dejan Kulusevski to Richarlison to Pedro Porro, and many more in between, the club bought quality players in every transfer window Conte was at the club. But the problems lie way beyond that. The mentality of a football club is set from the top, and it seems under chairman Daniel Levy that Tottenham lack the nous needed to win big trophies.
Simply achieving European football has always been considered a success in his eyes, and that mentality has seeped through the club. One EFL Cup in 22 years of Levy says it all.
There is also the problem of outgoings. Too many average players have stayed at Spurs for far too long. For example, Sanchez and Lucas have both been there for over five years, Tanganga has been a first-team regular for four seasons, while Eric Dier and Ben Davies are approaching a decade at the club.
Why has Levy allowed these players to stick around under big contracts? That is not to even mention all the other deadwood – Harry Winks, Giovani Lo Celso, etc – still technically on Tottenham's books, but on loan at clubs across Europe.
Although Conte was not completely innocent in all of this, these are some of the players he had to contend with and it was never going to be the type of fix that happened overnight.
THE CASE FOR (DANIEL LEWIS)
Negative tactics and questionable selection calls
As someone who can boast five league titles across spells with Juventus, Inter and Chelsea in Italy and England, Conte is rightly lauded as an elite coach. With elite coaches often comes excess baggage, and in this instance Conte's latest rant – having already backtracked after a similar tirade earlier in the month – was always going to be the final straw.
The Italian was eager to point the blame at his players, yet Tottenham managed just five shots on target across 180 minutes of their Champions League last-16 defeat to Milan, despite needing a goal from early on in the tie following Brahim Diaz's decisive strike. Conte's decision to effectively tell his side not to attack played a bigger part in their disappointing exit than any off-day from certain players. Likewise in the FA Cup elimination at the hands of Sheffield United when naming undoubted star player Harry Kane among the substitutes – another major call that backfired.
Spurs boast a talented squad – they are fourth in the Premier League after all – but there is no doubt they are stronger in attacking sense than defensively. You have to go down as far as Wolves in 13th to find a side that has conceded more goals than Tottenham this season. In their most recent full season prior to Conte's arrival, they had conceded just 30 goals at the same stage. Conte's pragmatic approach, which fans would reluctantly accept if it equated to trophies, did not make Spurs any stronger defensively. It was all pain and no gain.
Backed by the board
Conte was afforded the type of backing that predecessors Mourinho and Pochettino could only have dreamt of. The reason expectations were so high at Spurs this campaign was because of the business they conducted early in the transfer window when bringing in the likes of Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison and – whether he wanted him or not – Djed Spence. Couple this with Kane staying at the club and Spurs' squad was arguably as strong as it has ever been.
There was also some truth to Conte's comments that Tottenham have perhaps become too used to failing – relatively speaking – regardless of who is in the dugout. But this was exactly the reason the Italian was brought on board and paid so handsomely by Levy – to turn around that endless cycle of falling short of landing silverware and at the same time continue to challenge for a top-four spot in the Premier League.
Yet Conte did not come close to lifting a cup and bowed out with a points-per-game return of 1.88, which puts him only marginally ahead of Andre Villas-Boas (1.83), who lasted two games fewer in charge of Tottenham. That, ultimately, is the legacy he is leaving behind.
D.C. United head coach Rooney says addition of Messi is 'going to be great' for MLS
Count D.C. United head coach Wayne Rooney among the many who are excited about Lionel Messi coming to Major League Soccer.
After Messi announced on Wednesday that he would be joining Inter Miami CF after his exit from Paris Saint-Germain, Rooney said the move is a major win for MLS.
"I think it's great, to bring Messi into the league," Rooney said on Thursday. "We've all seen, over the years, the impact of (Inter Miami co-owner) David Beckham coming in, (former Los Angeles Galaxy striker) Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) coming in.
"Different players from overseas. To get Messi in the league, arguably the greatest player of all time, and still – he’s a little bit older – but not long ago he won the World Cup almost single handed.
"It's going to be great for the league, for Miami."
Messi, 35, is expected to make his MLS debut sometime in July, and D.C. hosts Inter Miami on July 8.
"It'd be nice if we were his first opponents for D.C. fans to see him up close and for us to challenge ourselves against him," Rooney said.
"One thing I will say – it’s not going to be easy for him. The league's a difficult league and I don't think he's going to come over here and absolutely tear it up immediately.
"He'll have to adapt because it's a bit different, it won't be an easy ride for him."
Messi dragged Argentina to their first World Cup success since 1986 in Qatar last year, and the Barcelona great has won the Ballon d'Or trophy a record seven times.
"He's the best. Simple as that," Rooney said. "In my view he's the best player to ever play the game. That's how he's different.
"The fanbase around him will be huge, commercially, for the league I'm sure it'll be huge as well. It's massive for MLS. With Messi coming here – I know MLS has always brought players in – but I think it'll do that again, and it shows MLS can compete.
"It shows it’s a league where people want to come and want to play and it's a huge first step."
Erling Haaland on a mission to realise Champions League dream with Man City
Erling Haaland is well aware he was brought to Manchester City to help them win the Champions League.
City are just one victory away from claiming the prize they covet most but has eluded them time after time with several near misses in recent years.
Haaland has been key to their latest charge to the final, where they face Inter Milan in Istanbul on Saturday, after a prolific first season at the Etihad Stadium.
The Norwegian has plundered 52 goals in all competitions since City identified him as the potential final piece in their jigsaw last year and paid £51million to recruit him from Borussia Dortmund.
“The Premier League, they won it two times in a row before I came here,” said Haaland. “So they know how to win the Premier League.
“The only thing they miss now is the Champions League. You can think and read between the words and the lines – I have been coming here for a reason.”
Haaland scored a record 36 Premier League goals as he helped City make it three titles in a row. They followed up that success by winning the FA Cup last weekend.
Now City are bidding to join rivals Manchester United in the history books by becoming only the second side to win the treble.
Doing so would see Haaland fulfil a long-held dream of winning the Champions League.
“I have been dreaming and thinking of it my whole life,” said the 22-year-old. “It has been my dream as long as I can remember, so a long time.
“Of course I have been thinking of this. There is one game left we have to perform at our best in. We have been doing it now for so many games in a row. It’s about keeping going.”
Such is Haaland’s love of the Champions League, that he even used to play the competition’s theme music in his car during his younger days.
“Yes, there is a video of me doing that,” he said. “You can search it up. It’s true.”
Haaland feels his game has improved at City under the guidance of Pep Guardiola – someone he describes as a “detail freak” – but is convinced there is more to come.
He said: “I am really enjoying every single day with him, with the intense Pep. I like it.
“I am still young, I can improve a lot and I am at the perfect place to work with the best coach and players in the world.”
Mark Hateley: Rangers need two new strikers who can outscore James Tavernier
Former Rangers striker Mark Hateley believes his old club need to sign two forwards who can outscore James Tavernier or they will not stop Celtic dominating Scottish football.
Right-back Tavernier was the club’s top league goalscorer last term with 16 goals and his total in all competitions of 18 was the same as Antonio Colak.
Fashion Sakala and the now departed Alfredo Morelos both hit 12 while Celtic’s main striker Kyogo Furuhashi weighed in with 34 goals on the way to the club’s fifth treble in seven seasons.
Hateley said: “We need two strikers that can score more than a right-back to win anything. It’s as simple as that.
“We need strikers that can get more goals than the captain to have a chance of competing at the very top. And that doesn’t come cheap.
“I think you need to bring in three strikers that are all credible and can produce.”
Colak’s future looks unclear after he only scored four goals and struggled for fitness following Michael Beale’s arrival, while Sakala played in a central role at times and on the wing on other occasions.
On Sakala, Hateley said: “He’s a young lad so he will develop as time goes on but if you are working with top goalscorers, your game comes on a lot quicker. I think he would probably become more of a squad player.
“The key now is to get two strikers in the team. It’s now easier because Alfredo has left the club because it was always difficult to play another player with Alfredo. He was the lone wolf with players playing around him but Michael now has the ability to play with two strikers, different formations.”
Hateley does not necessarily believe Ange Postecoglou’s departure from Celtic Park to Tottenham is in itself an opportunity for Rangers.
“You could say so but the structure that Celtic have in place, I don’t think a lot will change,” he said.
“I don’t know if Ange can take players with him but what Ange has done has been absolutely phenomenal, and the way the board have trusted him in his methodology and his way of thinking has been commendable.
“Top coaches like a challenge and they like to challenge the best. Ange has produced that. It’s always great competition, if you have two great teams on the pitch who are competing to prove who has the edge, and it’s the same with managers. You need managers to push each other.”
Hateley was promoting the Glasgow European Capital of Sport 2023 Refugee Football Tournament, which will feature players from more than 50 nations at Toryglen Regional Football Centre on July 2.
The former England striker said: “Refugees are coming to all different parts of the world and trying to find homes and friendships and where better to come than Glasgow, Scotland? Always welcoming, hence why I am still here.
“Football is a medium where friendships are built so it’s an important factor. It’s a fantastic initiative.”
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