We know since late last night that Antonio Conte is no longer the manager at Tottenham Hotspur, with Cristian Stellini taking over as the club’s head coach on an interim basis.
Conte’s stint at the Lilywhites was never too far from turbulent and for many, this day was going to come at one point or the other. He leaves Spurs without winning a trophy and this is the first time since his Atalanta stint that the Italian has not won silverware or has achieved promotion with the club.
Frustrating as it was, Conte’s career graph has shown that he has the knack for bouncing back and La Gazzetta dello Sport have detailed what the future might hold for the Lecce-born manager. While the outlet refuse to rule out a one-year sabbatical, they look at the Italian clubs that may have a chance of roping Conte in.
Juventus, for example, are slightly more likely to look at Conte now that Andrea Agnelli isn’t at the club. Their relationship had soured by the end of Conte’s reign at the Bianconeri and Conte is more likely to be comfortable with the current management. But Max Allegri’s position is more strengthened now and it is less likely that he departs the club in the summer, as he has navigated through a tough period in the club’s history with admirable strength.
Simone Inzaghi’s position is less secure than that of Allegri’s though and there has been talk of Inter considering his position. There is a high probability of Inzaghi leaving the club in the summer, but Steven Zhang and Beppe Marotta don’t have Conte at the top of their shortlist for replacements. There’s also the factor of how Conte left Inter, having expressed distrust in the project. Inter’s financial situation is worse than it was when Conte left and it left a sour taste in Zhang’s mouth. That casts doubts about whether a return can take place or not.
Then there’s Roma and Milan. Jose Mourinho could well leave Roma, whereas the Friedkins and the club’s fans don’t want that to happen. Roma, like Inter, are big fans of Roberto de Zerbi but the Friedkins have shown that they can pull a rabbit out of the hat – as they did with the Mourinho appointment. As for Milan, Conte is not said to be the ideal manager for the project at the club.
Paris Saint-Germain have been put forward as an idea, even though they constantly express their interest in Zinedine Zidane. But their situation remains fluid and depending on how things change, Conte could become an idea for them.
A sabbatical could see him spend some time with his family, especially after his health issues and recent bereavements. But as things stand, a return to management in Italy remains a complicated idea.
Kaustubh Pandey | GIFN