‘Let’s celebrate Conte’s return – and be thankful Simeone is stuck in Spain’
Another week, another of the world’s super coaches enlists with the Premier League.
The arrival of Antonio Conte at Tottenham is huge news – from Seven Sisters, N17, to Italy and beyond. That’s the global power of the English game.
We should, therefore, welcome Conte’s return. The former title-winning Chelsea manager is one of the genuine elite bosses.
The Italian, rightfully, sits on the current top table of round-ball tacticians over here, alongside Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.
He is ahead of the contenders, such as David Moyes, Graham Potter and Patrick Vieira, and pretenders like Mikel Arteta, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer etc.
That’s because the ex-Juventus and Inter Milan chief lifts silverware wherever he goes as a club coach. He may not last as long as fellow super-coaches Pep and Jurgen do but he still has that knack of delivering in no time at all.
And even though it may not always be in the swashbuckling style produced by Manchester City and Liverpool these days, it is usually done in a colourful, fascinating manner.
Which is why we should celebrate his appointment into the Spurs’ ejector, whoops, forgive me…hot-seat.
And why, simultaneously, we should all applaud, with a significant sense of relief, the fact Diego Simeone seems to be a permanent resident of La Liga.
If ever we need to see a team who represent their coach perfectly then it is Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
Work tirelessly, never know when they are beaten and always dirty on and off the ball – to the point of trying anything to turn a losing position around.
They are also often tedious with a double defensive blockades of their own goal – and scarcely any more interesting at the other end.
That latter point comes in spite of world-class talent in attack. Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez and Joao Felix are seriously good forwards with unique skills.
Yet, somehow Atletico never change under Simeone, in his 11th year at the helm. They perform as he did as a player – and, sadly, behaves as as a manager.
Constant moaning and complaining, allied to an unwavering desire to get opponents sent off. It is pathetic, stomach-churning to watch – blatant cheating.
Simeone, the ex-Argentina hard-nut who ruined England’s World Cup in 1998 with his rolling-around-in-agony, over-the-top reaction to a little flick of a boot from then-Manchester United whizz-kid David Beckham, was a maestro of the dark arts in central midfield.
No surprise, therefore, his Spanish champions went through the full repertoire of devious tricks at Anfield on Wednesday evening in an effort to reduce Liverpool to ten men.
They were being played off the park, and that was their only response to break the Reds’ superiority.
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Thankfully, the cynical approach failed miserably in every sense. Indeed, it eventually led to them losing one of their own to a red card. Hallelujah!
If Felipe’s appalling rake down the back of Sadio Mane’s leg did not deserve an immediate red card, his subsequent, disrespectful disregard of the referee did the trick.
Cue more waving of the arms from unhappy Simeone, including that right one so conspicuous by its absence at the end of both European clashes with Liverpool.
The guy cannot even acknowledge his all-conquering counterpart with a handshake. Jeepers.
Such objectionable individuals in Premier League dugouts would do the English game, which is far from perfect, no favours at all.
It would be mildly amusing for about 45 minutes before becoming a tasteless, crashing bore.
Be thankful, we have been spared these antics on our shores.
Long may Simeone reign in Spain.
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