MICAH RICHARDS: Senior Tottenham stars threw Nuno under the bus

MICAH RICHARDS: Senior Tottenham stars threw Nuno Espirito Santo under the bus…but now Conte is in the building there will be no excuses as he will not tolerate a lack of commitment from the players

  • Nuno Espirito Santo must have known the end was coming last Friday or before 
  • I say this because his press conference ahead of that game really stuck with me
  • Nuno is not a manager who tends to make comments that generate headlines 
  • It felt like he used his platform eight days ago to send a message to his successor
  • Nuno suffered because he wasn’t afforded respect by the Tottenham squad
  • New boss Antonio Conte will not tolerate a lack of commitment from the players 

Nuno Espirito Santo must have known the end was coming last Friday, even before that final defeat against Manchester United.

I say this because his press conference ahead of that game stuck with me.

Nuno is not a manager who tends to make comments that generate headlines but it felt like he used his platform eight days ago to send a message to his successor.

Nuno Espirito Santo must have known the end was coming last Friday, even before that 

‘I wish all the players were equally committed,’ he said. ‘These players have to go beyond. This is how it works. In this industry, this is what the player should do. Unfortunately, it is not what is always happening.’

The message was clear. Nuno knew some of Spurs’ squad had stopped pulling for him and he was highlighting the situation that the new man could expect to walk into. It feels like there was a lack of leadership in their squad. Nuno’s comments led to people saying he had ‘lost the dressing room’. I hate that phrase.

I find the concept that a footballer can stop listening to a manager and stop working for them absolutely alien to my approach to life.

There were times when I had unbelievable spells of form, others when I was playing so badly that I questioned my worth. But I never stopped doing the things that were drummed into me — treating people with respect, doing your best every day. I never stopped trying.

I say this because his press conference ahead of that game stuck with me. Nuno is not one to make comments that generate headlines but it felt like he wanted to send a message

Nuno suffered because, collectively, he wasn’t afforded respect by Tottenham’s squad

I found Nuno’s words fascinating and my instinct tells me it was likely that senior players were the issue. If it had been someone on the fringes who wasn’t committed, there is no way Nuno would have made it public.

He wouldn’t have had to. He could have just sent whoever it was to train with the U23s. But he decided to shine a light. So who was he talking about?

It would be interesting to know. Were they still playing for him, right to the end? Had they been left out? You can only draw your own conclusions.

If there are two senior players in a dressing room who turn, the whole atmosphere changes.

If things are going well, there is no better place for atmosphere. But when results slide and a manager is under pressure, it can quickly become toxic if not everyone is pulling the same way.

In last week’s column, I spoke about Patrick Vieira and the influence he had in terms of leadership in Manchester City’s dressing room. I know people such as Roy Keane, Jordan Henderson, Steven Gerrard and Vincent Kompany —captains who set the tone and kept everything in check.

If there are two senior players in a dressing room who turn, the whole atmosphere changes

But, now former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is in the building there will be no excuses

Throughout his time at Spurs, Harry Kane has led by example on the pitch. I have supported Harry — undoubtedly a world-class striker — all the way through his career. But the hangover and disappointment at not getting a move to City in the summer seems to be lingering too long. Everyone can see he has not been performing at his usual high level.

To be clear, I’m not suggesting he is one of the players Nuno referred to. What is inescapable, however, is that he has gone from being Tottenham’s top scorer and top assist provider to having one Premier League goal by the first weekend in November.

To have stood any chance of being successful, Nuno needed Kane firing on all cylinders. That has never been the case.

Nuno suffered because, collectively, he wasn’t afforded respect by Tottenham’s squad and he wasn’t able to change that.

He wasn’t first choice to replace Jose Mourinho and by all accounts he wasn’t even second, third or fourth. Some players will have thought to themselves: ‘This isn’t what I signed up for.’

The Italian manager needs to change history. He also needs to change attitudes at Spurs

If Conte gets Tottenham into the top four with this squad it would be a minor miracle

Now that Antonio Conte is in the building there will be no excuses. Tottenham have done incredibly to get him because he is a manager who can genuinely stand up to Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel. He is a serious player who will not tolerate anyone who isn’t trying.

All excuses have been removed. We could all see how it was going to end for Nuno but I am fascinated to think where Tottenham actually see themselves in the big picture, as they are some way off being a Champions League team.

If Conte gets Tottenham into the top four with this squad it would be a minor miracle — on a par with winning a trophy.

And if he does actually deliver silverware, it would be an incredible achievement.

When we used to play against Tottenham at White Hart Lane we loved it because it would always be a brilliant game of football and they played with ‘pizzazz’. But we never saw them as a side that was going to win a major trophy.

Conte needs to change history. He also needs to change attitudes.




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