Conte's predictable exit leaves Spurs in familiar state of limbo and introspection

Well, at least they will always have that 3-0 win over Arsenal.
The marriage of Antonio Conte to Spurs has collapsed, and even though few expected the end to come this quickly on the wedding day back in November 2021, everyone saw this divorce coming in recent weeks.
The moment the Italian threw every player and the club itself under the bus following the 3-3 draw at Southampton, everyone knew it was all over. The whole thing took just 16 months to unravel.
The home truths spouted by a furious Conte that day will have stung Daniel Levy, who was always likely to respond by ushering a 'mutual consent' exit deal.
But the departing words will have struck a chord. Just why is the club a serial underachiever? Why no trophy since 2008 when they have had World Cup winners and two World class players in the ranks? Is Levy to blame? Is there a culture of failure that is so ingrained as to be insurmountable?
Mauricio Pochettino so very nearly broke the mould as he guided the club to an unlikely Champions League final and a title challenge, but the rapid disintegration after that Madrid hiatus - the 7-2 drubbing at home to Bayern Munich the defeat sounding the death knell - it has been back to the old days of underwhelming results and mediocrity.
Not even trophy-gatherer Jose Mourinho could usher in an upturn in fortunes and found the task too big for him. A gleaming new arena fit for royalty has not proved to be the backdrop to a leap in status the club anticipated - in much the same way that Arsenal's move from Highbury to Emirates saw the graph drop rather than point to sunny uplands.
Conte tried to distance himself from the inferior and often negative fare his team has served up this season, but he cannot absolve himself of guilt entirely. It was his job to motivate and forge a winning mentality.
And yet, the fans seemed to believe in him. This serial winner, they thought, would deliver. It was only a few weeks ago he returned from clearly debilitating gallbladder surgery to great acclaim from the Spurs faithful. The name 'Antonio!' was ringing out not so long ago.
The optimism at the start of the season was huge too. Having qualified for the Champions League at the expense of their north London rivals thanks to that euphoric success at the business end of last season, hopes were really high.
The summer signings of Yves Bissouma, Richarlison and Ivan Perisic seemed to herald a glorious new chapter. But there was little joy in the football and when a tame FA Cup exit at the hands of a lower league side was followed by the lamest of Champions League exits against Milan, the deep-set malaise could no longer be ignored.
Somehow, Spurs are still fourth and still in a good position to contest fourth spot. But many fans could be forgiven for wondering what would be the point. They want their team to be competitive domestically and to play the sort of football that turned White Hart Lane into a fortress in the past.
And they badly want a canvas on which the ever-excellent Harry Kane can continue to express himself.
Whoever comes in next - Julian Nagelsmann after being axed by Bayern or perhaps even a returning Pochettino - the task will remain challenging, shall we say.
The joyous times being currently experienced down the road at Arsenal will be hurting fans. The realisation that not even a big-hitting champion like Conte could mobilise them will hurt even more.
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