Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has offered an honest reflection on his time in charge at N17, shedding light on his initial ambitions, direct conversations with chairman Daniel Levy, and his anger toward external perceptions surrounding the club. Speaking in an interview with The Athletic, as shared by Chris Cowlin on X, the Italian tactician detailed what drove him during his turbulent reign in North London.
Conte arrived at Tottenham in November 2021 following the departure of Nuno Espírito Santo, taking over a side languishing in ninth place in the Premier League. He explained that his decision to accept the job was largely motivated by a desire to turn the club’s fortunes around, aided by his existing relationship with former managing director of football Fabio Paratici. Despite initial doubts, Conte orchestrated a remarkable turnaround in his debut campaign, guiding Spurs to a fourth-place finish and securing Champions League qualification at the expense of rivals Arsenal.
While performance levels on the pitch briefly peaked during that first season, Conte admitted to experiencing cultural friction behind the scenes. The serial winner recounted a specific interaction with chairman Daniel Levy after Tottenham dropped points in a league match, illustrating the stark contrast between their standards and expectations.
According to Conte, whenever the team failed to win or settled for a draw, he would send messages to Levy expressing his deep disappointment. However, the chairman would frequently reply by advising him not to worry because they would win the next match. Conte revealed that these relaxed responses left him baffled, as he consistently urged Levy to look closer at the underlying problems rather than dismissing poor results.
Anger Over External Perceptions and Club Stereotypes
Beyond internal discussions, Conte expressed intense irritation regarding the persistent narratives and jokes aimed at Tottenham throughout English football. The Italian manager stated that hearing people constantly suggest Spurs would never win anything or referring to them as losers made him furious during his managerial tenure.
Conte highlighted how deeply rooted these stereotypes were, recalling an instance where rival fans mocked Arsenal following a 3-0 defeat to Brighton by claiming Arsenal had turned into Tottenham. He admitted that such jokes irritated him immensely, as he was determined to dismantle the club’s soft reputation and replace it with a ruthless winning culture. Conte stated:
“I went to Tottenham with the ambition to turn things round a bit. Partly because Paratici was there. When I arrived, they were ninth. We finished fourth, overtaking Arsenal. “I remember we weren’t winning or we’d drawn a game and I sent Daniel Levy a message. He came back to me, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll win the next one’. “‘What the…?’ I kept saying to him, ‘Look!’” “The thing that drove me mad was hearing people around me saying, ‘Tottenham are never going to win anything’. That they’re losers. “They were made fun of. They’re still being made fun of. Even now. Arsenal lost 3-0 to Brighton and they were joking, ‘Arsenal have turned into Tottenham’, get it? Believe me, this irritated me a lot.”
Former Spurs boss Antonio Conte on his time at Tottenham… (Talking to the Athletic)…
“I went to Tottenham with the ambition to turn things round a bit. Partly because Paratici was there. When I arrived, they were ninth. We finished fourth, overtaking Arsenal.
“I remember we… pic.twitter.com/3ieVfqUsbP
— Chris Cowlin (@ChrisCowlin) October 5, 2026
Conte’s tenure ultimately ended abruptly in March 2023 following a fiery press conference, but his candid remarks serve as a reminder of the psychological hurdles Tottenham have worked to overcome. Under current head coach Roberto De Zerbi, Spurs have continued striving toward tactical clarity and a modern, high-grade competitive standard.
While Conte’s uncompromising approach created tension, his willingness to challenge institutional comfort zones highlighted the demands required to compete with elite clubs. For Tottenham supporters, his latest reflections provide fascinating context into one of the most intense managerial chapters in recent club history.