Tanguy Ndombele‘s sluggish, despondent exit from the pitch after being withdrawn against Morecambe FC perfectly sums up his time at Tottenham Hotspur.
As his number was displayed, the Frenchman appeared a terminally defeated figure. He ambled off slowly, dejected and forlorn, only exacerbating the overwhelming animosity coming from thousands of angry supporters. While Tanguy has every right to be disappointed, he has no right to saunter off with his side facing a humiliating FA Cup defeat.
He was ambling off as if Spurs were in control. Trailing 1-0 to the lowly League One side should have been incentive enough for him to show a semblance of urgency. It was not, rightly enraging Tottenham supporters.
While only a single petulant act in silo, the incident strangely offered a damning summary of Tanguy’s two and a half years at Spurs. The selfish act showed his inability to put the team first.
Nobody is questioning Tanguy’s raw talent. He can swivel free in the most confined quarters and has the ability to conjure up inspiring, defining moments. But the negatives far outweigh his fleeting moments of magic.
He has a holier-than-thou aura and is not willing to commit to the hard graft Conte demands of all his players. It feels distinctly like he doesn’t have a champion’s character. Too quick to capitulate, Ndombele doesn’t fight to overcome moments of adversity. Which, considering how much he sacrificed to make it to where he is today, is a frustrating paradox.
His future at Spurs, even before this afternoon’s abject outing, was already in serious doubt. In his defence, he did put forth a promising cameo appearance off the bench against Chelsea last week. But in the grand scheme of things, it probably won’t be enough to provide a stay of execution.
Conte, above all else, needs players unrelentingly dedicated and devoted to the cause. You get the distinct impression that Ndombele isn’t willing to fight tooth and nail for the badge. And that presents a serious problem for Conte and Spurs supporters alike, one that should not be overlooked.
Conte played down Ndombele’s reaction to being withdrawn, saying he was too fixated on finding a way to solve the main issue at hand. Fair enough. Spurs, trailing 1-0, were in a worryingly precarious spot. On reflection, however, Conte will surely be dismayed, even outraged, by Ndombele’s unacceptable behaviour.
And it might just be enough to seal the Frenchman’s fate.