Antonio Conte has been sacked by Tottenham Hotspur.
Conte was out of contract at the end of the season but Spurs have decided to part ways with 10 games of the campaign remaining following the Italian’s extraordinary outburst in the aftermath of the 3-3 draw against Southampton last weekend.
Conte attacked his own players and questioned Tottenham’s mentality in an astonishing 10-minute rant, which was the latest of a series of incidents in which the manager criticised Spurs in public during his spell at the club.
Spurs said in a statement late on Sunday night: “We can announce that head coach Antonio Conte has left the Club by mutual agreement. We achieved Champions League qualification in Antonio’s first season at the Club. We thank Antonio for his contribution and wish him well for the future.”
Conte’s assistant Cristian Stellini, who took charge of the team while the manager was recovering from gallbladder surgery in recent weeks, will take charge until the end of the season, assisted by former Spurs midfielder and current coach Ryan Mason.
Tottenham were condemned to a 15th consecutive season without a trophy after their dismal Champions League exit to AC Milan followed defeat to Sheffield United in the FA Cup, but Conte had been allowed to try and steer Spurs towards the top four.
Conte led Spurs to fourth place last season, following his appointment in November 2021, but they have failed to improve under the Italian this campaign, despite his impressive pedigree at former clubs Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan.
Conte’s defensive style of play was also unpopular while his public criticism of the club also frustrated supporters, with his extraordinary press conference following the Southampton match proving to be the final straw.
The draw at the Premier League’s bottom club left Spurs two points clear of fifth-place Newcastle, but with Eddie Howe’s side having two games in charge.
Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, seemed to be the target of much of Conte’s ire in his press conference outburst, and Levy made no mention of the Italian in a brief statement.
“We have 10 Premier League games remaining and we have a fight on our hands for a Champions League place,” Levy said. “We all need to pull together. Everyone has to step up to ensure the highest possible finish for our Club and amazing, loyal supporters.”
