Tottenham Hotspur coach Antonio Conte lashed out at his players as well as the club’s ownership following his team’s frustrating 3-3 draw with Southampton on Saturday.
While Spurs were 3-1 up with 15 minutes left on the clock, the home team launched an unlikely comeback, with Theo Walcott scoring in the 77th minute before James Ward-Prowse leveled the scores with a 93rd-minute penalty.
Conte criticized his players’ mentality during the game, as well as their failure to shut out Southampton in what should have been a comfortable win over the team at the bottom of the Premier League table.
“Instead we showed this another time, things started to improve last season but we lost the characteristic of last season. I don’t want to talk about the technical aspect, the spirit is missing,” Conte explained, adding that his team has failed to perform to the best of their abilities throughout the season.
“We are not a team. We are a team that everyone is thinking of himself. When you are in this way that can happen, you lose against Sheffield United and drop the FA Cup and with AC Milan and to finish that run you’re winning 3-1 and the last 15 you are able to give them the possibility to come back. I don’t see the sense of responsibility of the players,” Conte continued.
Currently in 4th place in the Premier League standings, Tottenham has played two more games than Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Brighton, putting their Champions League qualification hopes in jeopardy.
