Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has been told that he should leave Spurs immediately if he isn’t planning on staying at the club beyond the end of this season when his contract runs out.
The club currently sit fourth in the league with only Champions League football to fight for.
Speaking to the BBC, Chris Sutton argued that Conte should leave immediately if he doesn’t want to commit his long-term future to the club.
“It’s better for all concerned if he goes now”, Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I’m really confused what is going on at Spurs at the moment.
“Conte really needs to commit one way or the other. If he says ‘I’m happy to sign for another year or two’ then Tottenham can move on, but it doesn’t look like he will”, he added.
The Spurs manager won the Premier League in 2016/17 and has won SerieshA with both Juventus and Inter Milan, but has had a difficult time at Spurs of late, with mixed results compounded by illness as he underwent gallbladder surgery. He has a one-year extension included within his contract, but it is looking increasingly unlikely that either side will want to activate it.
Despite a win against Nottingham Forest at the weekend, a tepid performance at home to AC Milan in the Champions League signalled the end of Spurs’ trophy hunt this season. Sutton also highlighted the decision to play a weakened team against Sheffield United in the FA Cup, where they lost 1-0 at Bramall Lane.
“I was at the Milan game, I thought their performance was really insipid”, he said. “The bigger issue among the fanbase was the FA Cup, now what are they playing for?”
Conte was bullish after the defeat to Milan, pointing out that Spurs “have made a step forward” since last season and that Milan won Serie A last season.
But Sutton disagrees, saying that they “have regressed from last season” and “have been massively inconsistent”.
“They have been a massive disappointment this season”, said the former Blackburn striker and Premier League winner.
“They do not get that brand of football under Conte so he needs to win trophies”.
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