Richarlison gave an explosive rant after being knocked out of the Champions League as Antonio Conte comes clean on his Tottenham future.
Spurs has been criticised by the Brazilian for his insufficient playing time this season, claiming that he doesn’t understand what he has been treated to.
Richarlison was brought into the club from Everton in the summer for £60m. Spurs’ tie at AC Milan on Wednesday saw them lose 1-0 to aggregate. Richarlison was then brought on, got in a scuffle and was booed off with the teammates come full time.
Spurs put in a limp performance which confirmed their trophy drought would stretch to a 16th year, putting the futures of striker Harry Kane and head coach Antonio Conte under the spotlight with no surprises if they were to depart come the summer.
Richarlison expressed frustration following the game when he criticised the way that his game time was handled in an interview with TNT Sports Brazil.
“It was going well, in a good sequence, two wins against West Ham and Chelsea,” he said.
“Suddenly, he put me on the bench, against Wolverhampton he put me on for five minutes. I asked why, but they didn’t tell me anything.
“And, yesterday, they asked me to take a test at the gym, that if I was good I would go to the game and, at the time of the game, they left me on the bench. These are things that it is not possible to understand.
“Let’s see what he will say tomorrow, but there are no fools here either, I’m a professional, I work every day and I want to play.
“This season, excuse the word, it’s been s**t because I don’t have minutes, I suffered a little with the injury. But, when I enter the field, I give my life. I came from two games well, I think that’s it, I think I should have played and I don’t have to cry about it.”
Wow. Just look at this.
Harry Kane looking for guidance from the manager after the red card. Ryan Mason standing in bewilderment at the lack of leadership.
Why is this man still manager!? #THFC pic.twitter.com/wrFdQwqjv6
— Talking THFC (@TalkingTHFC) March 9, 2023
Antonio Conte said he will talk to the club about his future after the season. He also admitted that his team doesn’t have the foundation “to win” after being eliminated from the Champions League.
Sky Italy claim the club had already offered him a new contract in January, but the 53 year-old is not interested in thinking about his future and asked Spurs to place it on standby. There are no ongoing negotiations for a new contract.
In November 2021, Conte was appointed Tottenham boss and led the club to a top four finish last season ahead Arsenal. Spurs are currently fourth in the league, but they have been inconsistent with their performance.
After the defeat to AC Milan, he said: “This is not the right day to speak about my future. I have a contract with Tottenham and Tottenham know very well my thoughts. At the end of the season we meet and then make a decision.
“The situation is really clear. It’s one year and two months since I started, I always say the same thing, we need time and patience. At this moment we don’t have a solid foundation to be competitive and win. We try to work and get the right players to get the right foundation and try to find the solution in the transfer market for the right team.
“I have a great relationship with the chairman. I have a contract until June, I’m ready to work at Tottenham. At the end there will be a decision.
“I’m really sorry for the fans. We cannot invent the win or wait for a miracle one day for a trophy. You have to build and have patience. I understand the fans don’t have patience because for a long time Tottenham have not been winning. What I can promise is my team will work really hard for this club and try to improve.”
He also said on Italian TV: “My contract expires in June. We will see – they might sack me even before the end of the season, who knows, maybe they are disappointed.”
Former Tottenham defender Danny Rose told Sky Sports News: “You say Spurs have the best stadium, you can have the best house but if the furniture is not the best inside its irrelevant.
“Going at the hierarchy, I still like to go into the Spurs training ground I will have to be careful what I say there. Everybody has got to be held accountable.
“I heard something about Daniel Levy said something about the signings haven’t been great, it’s bizarre because I am sure I said something like that six years ago and was fined two weeks wages but here we are.
“It will be interesting to see where they go from here until the end of the season.”
🗣️ “You can have the best house but if there’s no furniture in it, it’s irrelevant!”
Former Spurs player Danny Rose on the club’s current state 😮⤵️ pic.twitter.com/ly6JvokdED
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 8, 2023
Rio Ferdinand: These players have got to salvage something from their season. They are still in the race for top-four and they can’t let a dour performance like this impact the rest of their season. They have a massive game against Nottingham Forest at the weekend now.
Peter Crouch: They are in the Champions League playing against a Milan side who they should be doing better against. That interview seemed like Antonio Conte felt they performed okay and it potentially needed more criticism. It was not good enough tonight. What is the point of getting top four if you’re going to perform like this in the Champions League? I get there are financial aspects to it. The fans would like to see an FA Cup or a Carabao Cup win – a trophy. It’s been so long. So to play a weakened team in the FA Cup – and the reason you rest the players is for the Premier League game – and you then lose that, then you’re out of the Champions League. You’re going for top four, but what for? They haven’t performed in any game I’ve seen here in the Champions League.”
Chris Sutton: Tonight wasn’t good enough against a team that many Spurs fans viewed as beatable. But if you are going to go out, then don’t go out with a whimper. The AC Milan goalkeeper had one save to make and that was in the last minute of stoppage time. There was a real lack of creativity by Tottenham. Antonio Conte has been through a lot and he could have taken tonight off but he wanted to be there and front up. You have to give him the respect for that. Many may want to blame the manager but a few players have really fallen off a cliff.
This is what fans said with Richarlison in that explosive rant as Antonio Conte comes clean on his Tottenham future…
@SamueILFC: Maybe he needs to accept that he’s not good.
@thatshadowhills: it’s not like he’s gonna score or anything if he plays
@spireite14: He may get more opportunities next season when kane has left in search of medals
@Zizoureem: You speak like this is when you know the manager’s days are numbered
@WorldofRyanO: You had a shot that went out for a throw in on the opposite side of the pitch against Sheffield United
@bankruptspurs: It’s childish and unprofessional, and I am totally here for it.
@ltfcdan: He’s such a baby
@cubbycub1981: Think you have to put the ball in the net @richarlison97 at least once in the league, at 50m, before you start demanding stuff, you absolute clown 😂😂
@NickB63908723: Because you are crap
@habspurs: Just got home, absolutely pissed off like everyone else. The only thing to turn this whole mood around will be the statement tomorrow relieving him of his duties. He wants it, we want it, get it done. Should have never come back and we might still be in the CL too
@SeriouslySCB: Mans actually asking to be sacked. He can’t wait to go back to Italy.
@CadbyNeil: Wouldn’t surprise me if he wants to leave now
@PaulATompsett: Why would players commit when the manager isn’t? All he needs to do is say is we’ve taken up the one year option, and we will be successful. I can bring a trophy to Spurs. Not the gibberish that is being spouted. It’s perverse, and we are Bi-Polar as a club.
@DavidWilliamsDK: I think Conte will be released now. When I listen to Richarlison has said then either he is benched, or Conte is out. Conte must admit 3 games without goals, players out of form. Missing Bentancur is key. Players vs Chelsea fought for their lives, are they fighting for Conte?
@Lw1Zzle: Travelled 5 hours tonight to watch that shower! Just got back now! Even under Stellini, we would have given more! The entire club is fractured

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