Much was said about Antonio Conte's press conference outburst at the time, but it's absolutely fair to say in the four weeks since his exit everything he said appears to have been proven true. Following a late collapse against Southampton, Conte unleashed a barrage of criticism at his players and the club before he was subsequently sacked less than a week later.
Since his departure, with Cristian Stellini in charge, Spurs have been vastly inconsistent and in a crunch match for their Champions League qualification hopes against Newcastle, they crumbled. The Magpies took the lead after just 61 seconds and within 21 minutes it was five - on the big stage Spurs had wilted under the pressure.
"I think that it's the right moment to speak because I think that after this performance, for me this is unacceptable," Conte said at the start of his ten-minute rant. "We are winning 3-1, in control of the game and you are able to concede two goals and to risk, because also Fraser made a fantastic save in one situation. I think it's much better to go into the problem, because the problem is that for another time we showed that we are not a team.
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"We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don't want to help each other and don't put their heart."
That claim from Conte was perfectly shown at St James' Park where Spurs were fortunate to only be five down at half time. Kieron Dyer delivered his verdict at the interval calling back to the infamous press conference from Conte
"I’m in disbelief," Dyer said on Sky Sports. "I thought Newcastle would win the game but to be five nil up after half an hour was just incredible. There was a lot made about Conte when he came out about his own players - about the Spurs players - and this is why he gave the outburst. Everything that he said in that press conference has come true.
"Spurs, the players, they cost the managers their jobs, they’re that bad. We touched on the full-backs being a problem, the centre halves have been poor, the midfielders have been poor, I think Skipp’s the only one who’s really tried and they’ve been put to sword."
Alongside the "selfish" claim directed at his players from Conte at St Mary's, the Italian would go on to slam them further along with questioning the club and their history of not performing in the big moments. "Why? Because they are used to it here, they are used to it," he said. "They don't play for something important yeah. They don't want to play under pressure, they don't want to play under stress.
"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 because this is unacceptable and also unacceptable for the fans. They follow us, pay the ticket and to see the team another time to have this type of performance is unacceptable. We have to think a lot about this.
"I said that I wanted to see the fire, not that I have seen. It is different. I said that I want to see the fire in their eyes, in their hearts. I want to see the right spirit. Ok. Not only in the training session, on the pitch. Because here you have to make the difference. And I am not saying this. And until now I try to hide the situation but now, there are 10 games to go and some people think we can fight. Fight for what with his spirit, this attitude, this commitment? What? For seventh, eighth, 10th place? I am not used to this position. I’m really upset and everyone has to take their responsibility.
"Not only the club, the manager and the staff. The players have to be involved in this situation because it is time to change this situation if Tottenham want to change. If they want to continue in this way, they can change the manager, a lot of managers, but the situation cannot change. Believe me."
Harry Kane pulled one back for the visitors in the second half but Callum Wilson restored the five-goal gap with virtually his first touch of the game after replacing Alexander Isak.
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