Conte showing with Spurs that Man Utd made a huge mistake
Robin Bairner
- 9 Apr 2022 13:55 CDT
- 3 min read
Manchester United should be looking at Tottenham’s progress up the Premier League table under Antonio Conte ruefully.
Saturday was likely a decisive day in the race for the Champions League spots as far as the Red Devils are concerned. Travelling to struggling Everton, they were expected to come away with a victory but instead suffered a 1-0 defeat that could see them miss out on the top four – and consign Cristiano Ronaldo to his worst Premier League finish ever.
It didn’t need to be like this, as Spurs so readily demonstrated as they rode out a first-half storm to defeat Aston Villa 4-0 in Birmingham.
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Spurs were ailing in the early weeks of the season under Nuno Espirito Santo but ultimately appointed Conte in the autumn to turn their season around. The Italian’s record has not been blemish free, but Tottenham are now in the top four and looking good to finish in the Champions League spots.
Conte had turned down Spurs previously, doubtless hoping for a bigger job and perhaps even hinting that he wanted to be Manchester United’s next manager.
Having known success at Juventus, Chelsea and Inter – all title winning clubs – Spurs were something of a sideways step. If that was not evident before January, it certainly became so during the transfer window as he went to war with the club over a failure to land his transfer targets.
Tottenham are not a team, therefore, that Conte feels he is getting the best out of. And yet they are still six points clear of Man Utd – and boast a healthy goal difference advantage as further insurance.
Why did Man Utd not go for Conte?
Manchester United’s reticence to move for Conte seems to have been generated by his tactical approach. He was not, it was said, the right fit for the Old Trafford club.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils were sticking faithfully by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who for all this tactical limitations had ‘Manchester United DNA’. The Norwegian was uncontroversial and even when it became entirely apparent he was out of his depth, he remained a favourite of the fans.
Conte is a pricklier character, more demanding of the board and of his players, yet he has also been universally successful.
Hindsight, of course, is wonderful, but had Man Utd the decision to make again, there is surely no doubt that they would go for Conte.
