Noel Whelan reckons that Antonio Conte would have been the perfect manager for Matt Doherty if they had appointed him the next Tottenham boss.
Reports have linked the former Chelsea coach with a move to Spurs, but it might be impossible for them to get him now with talks considered to have broken down.
The Italian manager has won league titles in England and Italy and one key part of his team’s style of play is using wingbacks.
He used Victor Moses in his Premier League winning team of 2016/2017 and signed the Nigerian on loan at Inter Milan as well.
He also managed Achraf Hakimi as a wingback last season and almost always has one on his team.
Doherty was one of the Premier League’s best players when he played as a wingback for Wolves before moving to Spurs.
He struggled last season because Jose Mourinho mostly used him as a full-back and former Leeds United man, Whelan is confident that Conte would have brought out the best in him.
When asked if Doherty could have thrived under Conte, Whelan told Football Insider, “Yeah, possibly.
“Three at the back is great and can work in many ways. But you need the right personnel to play the roles.
“When you play that system, your wingbacks are absolutely vital.
“Have Spurs full-backs done enough this season? Serge Aurier? Doherty? No. No they have not.
“There’s no doubt, if you’re going to play a three, that brings your wing backs into play.
“They have to be faster than they were last season. That could bring out the best in Doherty.
“Conte would have assessed what he had in pre-season. if it wasn’t going to work he could have dipped into the market because he won’t accept players like that.”
Mate you can still be a Spurs fan and be angry at Levy and enic, They are not the club, they are just the latest owners. You don’t seem to understand this point.
It’s not “thick and thin” though is it? It’s being shafted for your hard earned by enic. You wouldn’t pay over the odds for something you’re not getting in any other part of life would you?
The ST mugs are paying trophy winning prices for a team that never wins anything and is scared to employ a manager that wants to win trophies. Bizarre.
Lo Celso = Lamela Mk 2
All Levy wants is a cardboard cutout of Conte and to be manager himself. He virtually is now when it comes to transfers anyway. Control freak and narcissist.
Right. Now, at last…when the membership and season ticket renewal periods are passing, the press are putting up the REAL candidates for the managers job.
Graham Potter(my prediction) and Edward Howe.
It’s going to get ugly. Those poor babes will be swallowed up by the Levy PR and con job agenda.
Enter another yes man.
Cos Southgate will start Sterling.
Get him in!
Disappointed so far, I don’t think he fits the epl.
Yes agreed.
Not convinced. Sell him and Lo Celso!
Levy just needs to hire a professional football man and stick to cutting paper for him.
He’s a wizard man. He just needs full fitness
Yes but he is not what we want,
a Grealish/creative Modric type midfielder is what we want!!
Wot? Ndom can see a cheeky through ball man. And get it there first class
Ability yes but vision umm!!
Ndom can do things with the ball that not many players can
No way. Ndom can open up teams. How many players have we got that can do that. Ability and vision
I don’t think so for a super talented 22 year old. The best is yet to come from him
Sell him I say?
We paid way too much for him that’s for sure.
Grealish and Ndom ain’t no comparison!
Yep. Like he did with ndom
Yes I have been to a couple of actions but haggling over a special kind of player exactly what we required at that moment really?? Hindsight being a wonderful thing, too clever for his own good, Levy should have simply paid the asking price on this occasion and be done with it!!!
£10mil and joshy. Nice try I thought.🌚
If something’s going for a pony I’m opening with 15 then take it from there
A tenner even. Have you seen how things run at London’s metal exchange? Its all last minute with low opening bids
66 is 56 now. I’m 56 so I’m 46. We’ve got loads a time left man. Just gotta not worry/stress yourself out over stuff you have no control over. Drop all resentments/grudges eat&drink right and you’ll be around for ages yet🌚
Oh and get a push bike and ride it everyday
Been here since 2016 standing firm by my club
Your dream died forever in 2016. How many league titles have we won in nearly 140 years?
Ever been to an auction?
Who cares now anyway. That was ages a go.
After winning the league title in 1961 who would have thought we are still waiting to win the league title again?!! Nobody me thinks! I suspect the dream died for ever in 2016!
The morning after the Hull City victory, Spurs’ chairman Daniel Levy came back in with a £25million bid to land Grealish – only for that offer to be immediately turned down by Edens and Sawiris
“It’s fair to say we were in such a bad position financially that if Tottenham had have done their work early, then I’m sure he would have been a Tottenham player,” said then-boss Bruce. “Before the takeover came in, everyone was for sale – that’s how difficult the situation was.”
[Courtesy of Birmingham Mail]
I think the shameful opening offer went from around £6m or £10m to something like £25m, instead of pitching in quickly at a sensible figure and concluding the deal pronto!
Always Villa’s prized asset I believe Levy’s opening bid was a derisory one before he increased the offer chucking in Josh Onomah (who hardly had a successful loan spell at Villa) as part of the package by which time new owners taking over the deal collapsed and the rest is history as they say!!
I leave you to pay that mind
The past is where it is man.
He can play. Can remember many weren’t sure about him at the time. People saying levy shopping in the bargain basement. He didn’t wanna leave the villains anyway. He loves that club
Simple question how many trophies have we won in the past 20 years? There lies your answer to the heart of the problem?!!
Never mind Hagi jr!! I’d have settled for Jack Grealish strutting his stuff for Spurs had Levy not botched that exciting deal in 2018!!
It’s an inevitably consequence of the current malaise surrounding the club on and off the field!!
Clearly the highlight of the latest England friendly is that the standout performer, best player by a mile again was JACK GREALISH. When asked post match whether he is in the England starting line up against Croatia Southgate instead of saying yes which was the obvious answer oddly remained coy!! Rest assured all opponents fear supremely confident Grealish!!, Villas influential maestro we could have purchased for £40m-£45m in 2018 is now worth in excess of £100m!!
Hagi Jr. What a talent he is
If Stanciu, Puskas and Hagi had featured they’d have probably come a cropper.
One thing I’ve learned is things normally ain’t as bad as they seem. And if you let bad things stop you good things can’t happen
Down the block with the cardboard furniture. No mattress till 9pm. taken away at 7am🌚
England diabolical again. Southgate doesn’t know what to do with the attacking talent, they cannot score from open play.
Street wise Croats will beat them, Scotland have a real chance too. I’ll be shocked if England get out of the group. The format may save them with 3rd place qualifiers.
Where have you been then?
You’re getting a lot of support and welcome backs here, it seems, Tappa.
It depends how old you are! At 66, I fear the immovable object may see the likes of me out
Yes, it is good to have you back even if I am mystified by your eternal optimism. I suppose we need one person on here cheerfully defying the odds!
Thats their problem not yours.
Noel Whelan’s comments on Aurier here interesting as someone on this website told me that Aurier had been one of our best players this season; for me, though he undoubtedly has his good moments, he’s always an accident waiting to happen.
Lots of cats here I have not seen during the season and they angry.
Thanks. I appreciate that man.
fans stay fans, though I feel tested for 30 years now,
We dabble with 3 at the back or 2 when dier dropped back from midfield at times for years remember we did Chelsea with it under Poch. We’ve a riches in potential wingback talent, Toby is expected to be at his best in a 3 as well. Bergwijn is a potential wingback as well.
A £100m doesn’t seem a lot for new players coming in unless Conte had identified bargains ie a Ramos or Boateng in that list on a free and Donnarumma as well. It’s only snip bits coming out. Transfers out should cover that or we’ve big lumps of money all ready going out for payments for players already at the club.
Though with 2 billionaire owners (if the levy numbers are right plus I know it’s asset) there must be another way they could understand winning football team could drive their wealth to.
Good to see you back on the blog Tappa.
If conte or any other manager don’t wanna come FCK them then. Tottenham Hotspur football club ain’t gonna beg them.
I’m still here holding my corner breda
Yep. Loyalty’s easy when things a run neat, its when things are “on top” you get tested. Stand firm
Tappa I was a bit worried not seeing you post during this season of how many different ways can I riled up the fans with the Levy must go posts.
Once again England can’t score from open play. Southgate will bring nothing but drab dreary crap.
Indeed.. True supporters are loyal, through thick and thin brother 🐓
What about Alfie Noakes?
I’d Rather Haringey boroughs manager tom than Martinez.
Reading on some past blogs it kinda saddens me that some long time proper fans have not renewed their season tickets coz of levy. Probably won’t be able to get another one. Levy won’t be here for ever. Tottenham will be. I’d never let levy do that to me. Its like leaving you your wife coz your father in-laws a w@nk€7
I don’t understand that question. Are there some words missing?
Is that thinking a healthy thinking of Champions league and PL wanna be winner team one wonders?
The greatest manager we never had. Still I’m sure Martinez will do a great job. Good pedigree at club level – he won the FA Cup you know …. around the same time he took the same team down. Successful at Everton …. ok, maybe not there either. I’d rather they let Potter have a go if they are genuinely considering a failure like Martinez.