After the promise of Saturday's victory over Manchester City, Antonio Conte was very much brought back down to earth after Spurs' loss at Burnley last night.
That defeat was the club's fourth in its last five league fixtures, a run which has seriously dented their hopes of securing a place in the top four.
The Italian cut a dejected figure after the game, even brining his own future at Spurs into question. Despite only arriving in North London in November, he seems to be already considering his future with the team:
Maybe I'm not so good. Yes, I'm not so good. I think Tottenham called me to improve the situation. But, I'm too honest to close my eyes and to continue to say "okay, but I want to finish this season but my salary is good" - no, I am not this type of person.
I have ambition. I hate to lose. We lost, I repeat, four games in the last five games. I won't accept this. I want to try to move the situation, also to make assessment with the club.
These comments have raised plenty of eyebrows, with Conte already looking defeated at this early stage in the team's rebuild. It certainly does not bode well for the long-term future of their working relationship.
Could he be regretting his decision to sign there in the first place? That is entirely possible, with the 52-year potentially already looking at other options.
Speaking on talkSPORT this morning, former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given said he would not be surprised if somebody from Manchester United has been on contact with Conte about taking over at Old Trafford this summer.
👀 “My concern is he has something else lined up. He looks like he wants to walk!”
🔴 “It feels like #MUFC need someone strong to sort that dressing room out!”@No1ShayGiven believes there could be a chance Conte leaves #THFC for Man Utd. pic.twitter.com/2Rs6iZVXXw— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) February 24, 2022
My concern is has he got something else lined up? For a manager who is supposedly on £15million per year and has a massive contract, he looks like he wants to walk away from it to be honest.
When you come out with comments like that last night it looks like he is edging to get away from the place. You talk about Manchester United, I think there is a perfect fix there.
Maybe someone from the red side of Manchester has been in contact with him. It feels like they need a character like him that's really strong to sort that dressing room out.
Manchester United will be in the market for a new manager this summer, with interim boss Ralf Rangnick's spell set to come end at the conclusion of the current campaign.
Conte was heavily linked with United prior to Ole Gunner Solskjaer's sacking, although the hierarchy at the club were rumoured to be unconvinced of his fit at Old Trafford.
They instead opted to replace the Norwegian with a temporary appointment, something Given believes was a massive mistake.
🤦 “It’s shambolic.”
🤯 “OGS got sacked in November & they’ve written off 6 or 7 months of the season.”
😤 “They bring in someone until the end of the season? It’s not like it’s April!”@No1ShayGiven slams #MUFC for getting an Interim manager so early. 🔴 pic.twitter.com/JhjPKQNGHE— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) February 24, 2022
I think it's shambolic.
A club of that size, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gets sacked in November, and they've written off six or seven months of the season. Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in world football and they go 'we will bring someone in until the end of the season'.
It's not like it was April and there were only a few weeks to go. We're talking about Champions League, can they get Champions League next season and get into the top four. In November you even had the outside chance of still challenging at the top, even though we all believe they're not good enough to be up there for the title.
What I'm saying is a club of that size, be it Antonio Conte, [Massimiliano] Allegri, or whatever manager they want to get, they should have done it last November.
There are so many problems to solve off the pitch, so many players' contract are up in the summer, they need an influx of new players as well.
Conte would certainly bring the discipline that has so often been lacking at Manchester United over the last number of years, although whether he is serious about stepping away from his position at Spurs remains to be seen.
It will certainly be an interesting few months ahead for both clubs.
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