Tottenham managed to qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League this season
Tottenham Hotspur will always be in the media spotlight for one reason or another. The Lilywhites just cannot escape the attention and the scrutiny from ex-players or pundits throughout the year. It is fair to say that the North London club did not endure a successful domestic campaign, yet they managed to qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League against all odds.
Winning the competition also meant that Spurs ended their 17-year wait for a major trophy. But the celebrations that followed the historic win came with scrutiny from certain sections of the media. The raw emotions on display from the players and the fans after years of near misses showed that the club was desperate to win some kind of silverware quickly.
Now that the trophy drought is over, the North London club must use the historic achievement as a springboard for better things in the future as they strive to compete against top clubs. The all-important Champions League qualification will help Spurs in more ways than one as well. The financial constraints at N17 will be lifted and the Lilywhites will be able to attract more players, offering them a chance to play in the elite competition against top teams.
No love lost between Antonio Conte and Tottenham
As Tottenham were enduring a disastrous Premier League campaign, Ange Postecoglou decided to put all his eggs in one basket and focus on the Europa League midway through the season. Some deemed it to be a bold move, but it is fair to say that it paid off as the Lilywhites went all the way in the competition and ended their long-standing trophy drought.
Given how important Champions League qualification was for the North London club, the Europa League success felt even more special to the fans and the club’s hierarchy. However, ex-Spurs manager Antonio Conte has come out and slammed Tottenham’s mentality. Speaking to Sky Sports, Conte said,
“I arrived at Tottenham in November with the team ninth in the table, in the first year we beat Arsenal to the Champions League spot. For Tottenham, you must understand, qualifying for the Champions League is practically the same as winning the Premier League title.”
Antonio Conte pointed that Tottenham were a mid-table team in the Premier League when he arrived at N17. The ex-Spurs manager then reminded the media that his side beat arch rivals Arsenal for the Champions League spot in his first year at the club. However, Conte then went to slam the club’s mentality, suggesting that qualifying for Champions League football is the same as winning the Premier League title at N17.
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Well, it goes without saying that the brutal verdict from Antonio Conte will not go down well at Hotspur Way. The Italian tactician left N17 on a sour note a few years back, and it seems like Conte is still not feeling any love towards his former club. The fans will not be too bothered by the Napoli manager’s statements as the 55-year-old has aimed subtle digs at the Lilywhites previously as well.