Nuno arrived at Spurs and we thought he was about to change things for the club and elevate them to the new levels that they have desperately been aiming for.
It was a job that had been one of the hardest battles for any seasoned coach. And I still think it’s an interesting job but the time and understanding needed to build what all coaches want is never allowed for in the modern game, so results need to be quick.
You can see how happy Spurs were when Nuno came in, and how happy he felt it was going to be a step in the right direction. We know all about what he did at Wolves in building a team that was set up well and understood to play the counterattack like one of the best. He brought in some great players that understood his tactical side of the game and performed well until he wanted to change that and make sure his side were more in control during the game, and not just waiting for the mistakes of the opponent.
That is when things changed at Wolves. The latter tactic is what he wanted at Spurs, too. He wanted more control from the start of the game. And the outcome was a sad one for him.
Spurs struggled to get the results they wanted and some said the approach was too cautious, for a club that has the motto ‘To Dare Is To Do’.
Now Spurs are ready for the Conte project. It’s an interesting one and the guys that worked with him as a player and manager know how focused he is. I remember watching him play as a captain of Juventus when I went to Italy to see him play. He was so in control of dictating the way the team performed. He was the heart of the team and made sure he was in control for the full 90 minutes.
Now he is a manager and things are no different. Look at the Chelsea situation for example. Some will have mixed feelings but he was definitely one of the managers that fine-tuned the start of the three-man defence. We enjoy it now by watching Tuchel’s Chelsea do it so well. We should not forget how he won the Premier League with Chelsea so confidently.
Now he is taking on his next project at Spurs and I would love to see how he and Levy handle their relationship, because if Conte feels he has not got the full control it could get spicy like it did at Chelsea.
He is a winner and winners like to make their own decisions and don’t like someone making them for them. It’s going to make the Premier League even more interesting this season. #mmlove