SOUTHAMTPON, March 19 — Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte tore into his “selfish” players, saying they “didn’t want to engage in below pressure” soon after they squandered a prospect to go third in the Premier League with a 3-3 draw Saturday absent to bottom-of-the-desk Southampton.
Spurs have been on course to protected an important get in their quest for Champions League qualification when Ivan Perisic scored in the 74th moment immediately after earlier ambitions by Pedro Porro and Harry Kane.
The website visitors led 3-1 at that stage, just after Che Adams experienced cancelled out Porro’s opener.
But the Saints hit back, with Theo Walcott reducing the deficit in the 77th minute prior to James Ward-Prowse’s stoppage-time penalty extended Spurs’ winless run on the street to 5 matches.
Tottenham’s latest defeats by AC Milan and Sheffield United noticed them exit the Champions League and FA Cup respectively to assure the club have now long gone 15 years with out a significant trophy.
Conte was in no temper to spare his squad’s thoughts all through a 10-moment tirade at St Mary’s, with Tottenham now just two factors forward of Newcastle, who have two online games in hand, in the race for the fourth and ultimate Champions League spot.
“We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish gamers, I see players that really don’t want to support every single other and really don’t set their coronary heart (in),” he claimed.
“Why? Simply because they are utilised to it listed here, they are utilised to it. They really don’t perform for anything essential yeah. They really don’t want to enjoy beneath stress, they do not want to play beneath stress.
“It is straightforward in this way. Tottenham’s story is this. Twenty years there is the owner and they by no means received something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for each and every supervisor that stays below. I have witnessed the professionals that Tottenham experienced on the bench.”
‘Unacceptable’
But the 53-yr-outdated Italian, formerly in cost of Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan, as effectively as the Italy countrywide crew, did specific sympathy for Spurs’ very long-suffering supporters.
“Until now test to disguise the condition but now, no for the reason that I repeat, I really don’t want to see what I have witnessed currently due to the fact this is unacceptable and also unacceptable for the followers,” he extra.
“They stick to us, pay back for their ticket and to see the workforce an additional time, to have this form of effectiveness is unacceptable.”
Tottenham’s earn above Nottingham Forest final 7 days had been a little something of a morale enhance, even if Conte’s foreseeable future remained uncertain presented his agreement expires after the end of the period.
But the supervisor insisted speculation in excess of his placement was simply just an additional “alibi” for an under-undertaking team.
“I see only 11 gamers that play for themselves,” he stated.
“There are 10 games to go and some individuals think we can combat. Combat for what with this spirit, this attitude, this motivation? What? For seventh, eighth, 10th spot? I am not utilised to this position.
“I’m actually upset and everybody has to take their obligation. Not only the club, the manager and the staff, the gamers have to be concerned in this circumstance mainly because it is time to transform this predicament if Tottenham want to improve.
“If they want to continue in this way, they can transform the supervisor, a ton of supervisors, but the problem cannot adjust. Believe that me.” — AFP
