‘I see selfish players’ – Conte says Tottenham stars only ‘play for themselves’

Antonio Conte let loose on his Tottenham players in his post-match press conference this evening following the 3-3 draw with Southampton. 

While Spurs were far from their best, which has been the case for most of the season, they managed to put themselves 3-1 up with 20 minutes to go, which looked to be enough to leapfrog Man United into third.

However, much like the capitulation against West Ham under Jose Mourinho, Tottenham crumbled at the death, conceding the sloppiest of goals to Theo Walcott before giving away an injury-time penalty.

Conte, who is deep into his second season with the Lilywhites, labelled some of the players as ‘selfish’ and accused them of not wanting to ‘help each other’ on the pitch.

He added that Tottenham are not currently a team, but rather eleven players who walk onto the pitch each week.

By stating that now is the ‘right moment to speak’, it appears these thoughts have been on Conte’s mind for some time, but he has perhaps held his tongue.

He said (Football London): “If we are going to discuss the penalty it means we don’t want to see other situations. For the penalty for me it was not a penalty. I stop, we close the situation.

“The worst situation is what was happening on the pitch. What has been happening in the last few months, what is happening in my second season.

I think that it’s the right moment to speak because I think that after this performance, for me this is unacceptable.

“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.

“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.

“Before today I prefer to hide this situation and to try to speak, to try to improve the spirit, the situation, with the words, With a lot of situations. Because about tactical or technical aspect, this is one situation.

“The most important thing if you want to become a strong team, if you want to become competitive, if you want to fight to win, is the desire, the fire that you need to have in your eyes , in your heart, and you have to show this in every moment. In every moment.

“If i have to compare last season and this season, we have to improve, but now we are worse in this aspect. When you are not a team, anything can happen, in any moment. Today is the last situation.

“Don’t forget that in FA Cup we lost to Sheffield United, who played with young players. We were able with a strong team, to be dropped from the FA Cup. And then a lot of situation, I repeat, that we are not going to improve. And I am not speaking about tactical aspect or technical aspect.

“About being a team, being a team, being a team, it is the most important thing. To understand that we play for the badge. We have to play to make our fans proud of us. We have to pay to show desire. The fire in your eyes to win. If you have this , for sure, you don’t go out in FA Cup. Today you win.

“We have to play to make our fans proud of us, we have to play to show desire. The fire in your eyes to win. If you have this, for sure, you don’t go out in FA Cup. And today we’d win.

“Maybe previously in the other games something can change. But here we’re used to it for a long time. The club has the responsibility for the transfer market, every coach that stayed here has the responsibility. And the players? The players? Where are the players?

“In my experience, I can tell you that if you want to be competitive, if you want to fight, you have to improve this aspect. And this aspect, I can tell you, in this moment is really, really low. And I see only 11 players that play for themselves.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

Conte has certainly come out all guns blazing here. Is it him finally saying what he wants to say? Is it him trying to get the fans back on his side? Is it him saving face for his next job? Perhaps a mix of all three. Whatever the case, he is right. The issues have been obvious for years now at Spurs and nothing has changed. It’s time for that change to happen.

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