Antonio Conte is out, and Cristian Stellini is in, with 10 Leading League games to go this season for Tottenham’s caretaker coach to direct the club to a prime-4 end.
Conte left Tottenham by mutual consent on Sunday night – which came as no surprise just after his extraordinary rant at his players pursuing their 3-3 attract in opposition to Southampton – but the announcement his assistant Stellini would take charge elevated a lot more than a handful of eyebrows.
In spite of remaining a near confidante of Conte, he will guide the crew ahead right up until the conclusion of the period along with Ryan Mason – and there are various issues which Stellini must fix.
From the mood around the Spurs squad right after the attack from their past manager to their battling model on the pitch, he will have a selection of places to deal with as they go all out to safe Champions League soccer.
Right here, Sportsmail normally takes a appear at the in-tray left behind for Stellini.
Cristian Stellini (right) has a big task on his fingers to protected a major-four finish for Tottenham after the departure of Antonio Conte
ENTERTAIN THE Admirers!
Fans go to online games to be entertained. We hold out all of our doing the job week to stroll by all those turnstiles on a Saturday in the hope that, for 90 minutes, we can cheer and rejoice and win.
Nevertheless Conte’s design and style of perform was not providing that of late. There was also much pragmatism – a most important system to sit back again and soak up stress and target scoring from breakaways.
At the back conclusion of the 2021-22 year, it was offering, with Conte’s 3-4-3 process securing wins about Arsenal (3-), Burnley (1-) and Norwich (5-). Just after that 5-star victory at Carrow Street in May perhaps, Conte was serenaded in the sunshine as it appeared Tottenham experienced finished their transformation in model, securing a return to the Champions League.
But now, Stellini have to stroll in with his have concepts. He cannot present himself to be merely a clone of Conte. If Stellini wants to get the supporters onside, it may well be a superior plan to abandon the development that is been irritating and uncover his individual way of acquiring this crew to click.
Tottenham lovers are craving the attacking model they are synonymous for right after Conte’s exit
Stellini must come across his possess way of obtaining Tottenham to click following turning into caretaker boss
BOLSTER THE Again LINE
Supporters may well have forgiven the aim on counter-assaults if their assault was singing when they truly flew forward. But for way too lengthy, Tottenham have been passive when it comes to the ultimate 3rd.
Harry Kane is however chipping away at the intention charts, scoring 21 in the Leading League this period. Still Heung-min Son, past season’s Golden Boot winner, is on 6. Dejan Kulusevski is on two, and Richarlison has nonetheless to rating. That is obviously a essential region that requires addressing.
Even so, Stellini also desires to bolster the again line. Fourth-put Tottenham have conceded 40 objectives this season, which is as several as Everton and additional than West Ham and Crystal Palace. Newcastle, in fifth, have conceded 19 objectives by comparison.
They’ve been much too open up to shots from opponents, with only Bournemouth, Everton, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Wolves facing much more. It’s a tricky balancing act for Stellini – boost the attack even though also shoring up the vulnerabilities at the back again.
Spurs have conceded 40 objectives this year – as several as Everton and more than Crystal Palace
GET THE SQUAD ONSIDE
Kane and Co will return from the global crack asking yourself what is heading on at Tottenham. They can not be remaining in the dark – they need to have addressing by Stellini as before long as they’re back in the making.
The caretaker coach requirements to sit down with the squad of players and get them onside, usually the struggle for a best-four complete will be fruitless if they usually are not actively playing for him.
Qualification for the Champions League continues to be the only opportunity resource of smiles at this club.
Try to remember, Conte attacked the crew just after that 3-3 attract at Southampton before the worldwide crack.
Tottenham players are continue to reeling from Conte’s verbal attack on the squad – in which he named them ‘selfish’ and accused them of having no coronary heart
He called them ‘selfish’ and mentioned they have no ‘heart’, and talked about how player power at Tottenham has been the undoing of supervisors ahead of him, this kind of as Jose Mourinho.
However he was Conte’s assistant, Stellini simply cannot double down on that feeling.
He requirements to sympathise with their struggles and demonstrate that they can nevertheless salvage some thing out of this year, even if that is qualifying for a level of competition they have very little probability of successful.
A journey to Everton is upcoming for Tottenham. That efficiency, whether fiery or flat, ought to explain to us if Stellini’s returning rally to the troops worked.
Stellini are unable to leave gamers in the dark. He have to sympathise with their struggles and raise them
DO NOT Undervalue A Leading-4 Finish
If Tottenham do not finish inside the Leading League’s major 4, that will injury their likelihood in the transfer market. The biggest names only want to sign for golf equipment competing at the elite amount.
Not to point out Kane’s future could very well relaxation on their ultimate posture in the desk, with the striker, now 29, perpetually joined with moves absent.
The revenue that Tottenham can safe from qualifying for the Champions League could be used to back again the subsequent boss in the summer time, irrespective of whether that is Mauricio Pochettino, Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique, whoever.
Although Spurs are now assured to go a different season with no silverware – and they are however yet again embroiled into another endeavor to complete within the major 4 – Stellini requirements to persuade the gamers and supporters that there is even now loads for them to enjoy for.
Champions League football is very important for Spurs. Stellini should not glance down on a best-4 finish
Dismiss THE Outdoors Sounds
Stellini is a good chap. When standing in for Conte at press conferences, he speaks effectively. He has to get the correct messaging out there, notably just after that rant from the past manager.
Stellini are unable to permit himself get distracted by the outside the house sounds, and that includes the condition surrounding Tottenham’s handling director Fabio Paratici, whose court docket case has started out.
Paratici, who has been strike with a 30-month ban from soccer by the Italian FA, is one of 12 previous Juventus executives who is locked in a lawful fight at the Court docket of Turin. Local prosecutors alleged the club were being guilty of money malpractice.
The preliminary listening to was scheduled to start off on March 27. All all those associated deny any wrongdoing.
There are considerations about the managing of football functions at Tottenham amid the ambiguity of Paratici’s potential. That can not be quick on Stellini, who will no doubt use his press conferences to say he is basically concentrated on taking care of the staff until finally the close of the season.
The Italian has to drown out the noise amid uncertainty in the team and even in the boardroom