Why hiring Antonio Conte is a watershed moment for Tottenham Hotspur

Fabio Paratici has seemingly pulled off a miraculous coup in convincing Antonio Conte to commit to the Tottenham Hotspur project. 

Four months ago Tottenham and Conte could not agree terms, with the Italian gaffer not receiving the guarantees he required to sign on the dotted line. That was then, when Daniel Levy didn’t think he was at Conte’s mercy. How things have changed in just a third of a year.

This time around, Conte had all the negotiating power and received exactly what he demanded. Rest assured, it was worth whatever Levy needed to concede to the Italian to make the deal happen. Conte is inarguably the most high-profile manager of Spurs in a generation.

Mauricio Pochettino was an up-and-comer bursting with potential when he took the helm at Spurs. But he was not a manager with Conte’s distinguished winning pedigree. Considered a egocentric maverick, Conte knows exactly what is required to win and does so impressively quickly.

He transformed Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan almost immediately upon being appointed at the three famous clubs. Staggeringly effective at eliciting the best from his players, Conte is precisely the medicine Tottenham needs.

Which is exactly why Levy will defy his own frugal financial structure to get the deal across the line. It is expected Conte will receive £13 million per year over the short-term 18-month contract. He is also expected to receive at least £150 million to improve the squad during the January transfer window. Not bad considering he’s only slated to be at the club for 18 months.

That alone shows how desperate Levy is to see the club he has ran into the ground succeed before, fingers crossed, he moves on from north London.

Conte, in 2016-2017, won the Premier League in his first season in charge of Chelsea. The following year he led to the Blues to FA Cup glory before being acrimoniously released from his duties. Somehow he found a way to win the top flight crown with Victor Moses as his right wing back. He enjoyed a career year under Conte’s tutelage, making the gaffer look like a genius for the faith he showed in the Nigerian.

Like any Italian, Conte gesticulates. He gesticulates often and with undeniable passion and fervour. He patrols the sideline like a lion, pacing back and forth while he barks orders at his on-field troops. And he accepts nothing less than ceaseless, full-blooded effort from his players.

And that is what Spurs supporters should be looking forward to most. His high intensity, no-nonsense brand of football will quickly weed out the weak links on Spurs’ roster. And we all know about the weak links who are in serious peril from the onset of Conte’s tenure.

The wolf is set to enter the hen house, and I for one cannot wait to see the immediate shift in dynamic. For the first since Pochettino was relieved of his duties, I truly believe that Tottenham can reach their full potential under Conte. If the Italian gaffer can’t get the best out of this squad, nobody can.

His struggles to find longevity are well documented. But Spurs’ top brass don’t currently care about the long term. They need to focus on the present. Everything else plays second fiddle to immediately figuring out the current state of shambolic affairs.

So hold on to your butts and get ready for a seismic shift in the way Tottenham conduct their business, both on and off the pitch. Conte is not the type of person who will be dictated to, another reason Spurs fans should be incredibly optimistic about the forthcoming 18 months.