For the sake of Tottenham, Levy better be listening to Conte

Fabio Paratici was brought in to run the football side of things for Tottenham Hotspur. However, Daniel Levy still has the final say, and he better be listening to Antonio Conte.

We have seen this movie before, and we already know how it ends. That could be something anyone who follows either Tottenham Hotspur or Antonio Conte may feel. In terms of the club under Levy, the club has repeatedly failed to capitalize when they have the chance and, after stagnating,  slips back to midtable mediocrity. Conte is a bit more precise; he works hard, wins, and if he doesn’t get the support he wants to continue to win, he leaves. Ultimately, it will be up to Daniel Levy to change this narrative for both his coach and his club.

Levy has the final say at Tottenham. Is he paying attention?

Paratici improves the club’s ability to source talent. This may prove true if players like Dejan Kulusevski continue to improve. However, if anyone thinks the Italian administrator has a blank checkbook to operate with, they are fooling themselves. Whether or not he is involved day-to-day in the football operations, you can bet your bottom dollar Levy is involved in the budget.

Fans who questioned Conte’s hire from the beginning most did so thinking the club would not match his ambition and demand for new players thus, Conte would not stay long enough to create any continuity. This summer, we will likely see the club’s ambition, which may not please everyone.

Conte likes Tottenham, but that is not enough

As much as the Tottenham beat journalists ask Conte about it, we know that he likes the club in general and enjoys the amenities and coaching the lads. But like in a relationship where love is not enough, liking the stadium, the facilities, and the people is not enough, especially for a manager like Conte.

We have heard comments before from Conte about the club’s ambition needing to match his own. After falling to Manchester United, the coach reiterated this sentiment at the end of his press conference.

As fans, we knew the club’s ambition from the start of this season was to finish in the top four, not win the league. The club’s ambition may have played a role from the start in Conte not coming to Tottenham, to begin with, although the timing was poor.

Given the current position of the team and the lack of alternative targets, a resigned Conte has accepted the club’s target – not his target – for this season, fourth place.

However, if anyone, especially working at N17 in north London, thinks Conte will accept chasing a similar target next season, they are mistaken. So Fabio better work overtime to find permanent homes for some want-away talent and bring in the players Conte wants and needs. As for Levy, he needs to be prepared to say yes, or the results could make last summer’s coaching fiasco look like a joy ride.