According to Spanish journalist Sira Lopez (as relayed by Cope), Real Madrid have decided not to appoint Antonio Conte as their new manager.
Conte and Mauricio Pochettino have emerged as the leading contenders for the Tottenham job but the North London club might not have a free run at either manager, with both of them also reported to be on Real Madrid’s radar.
While some reports have claimed that Tottenham have made a lucrative offer to Conte which he is tempted by, other sources have suggested that Real Madrid remains the Italian’s preferred destination.
If Lopez is to be believed, Spurs’ hopes of landing Conte may have been boosted after the La Liga giants decided against appointing the 51-year-old.
Lopez revealed that Conte, Raul Gonzalez and Xabi Alonso have been ruled out of the running for the Real Madrid hot seat while Pochettino could also be out of reach now that Paris Saint-Germain have activated a clause to extend his contract.
Interestingly, the journalist added that Los Blancos are beginning to sound out Roberto Martinez, who has also been linked with the Tottenham job.
Spurs Web Opinion
There are some Spurs fans who seem to think that Conte would be a much better appointment than Pochettino and that any suggestion to the contrary is driven by pure nostalgia. However, I strongly disagree with that sentiment and believe Pochettino should be the club’s first choice.
Despite the fact that Conte has won a Scudetto last season and has built a reputation of being a winner, he might not be the right fit for us. He is tactically inflexible, and like Mourinho, relies a lot on psychology and expects players to take responsibility on the pitch.
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