Antonio Conte has taken to social media to speak for the first time since his departure from Tottenham late on Sunday evening with a message for the Spurs fans.
Conte’s 16 month stint at the helm of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium came to an end as he and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent.
The 53-year-old has not spoken publicly since his explosive post-match press conference after Tottenham’s 3-3 draw with Premier League strugglers Southampton, in which he went after a selection of his players and the club as a whole.
It is widely accepted that his rant, in which he labelled some of his squad as ‘selfish’ and blamed them for Tottenham’s long run without a trophy, sped up the timing of his departure from North London.
In a post on Facebook and Instagram, Conte shared a collection of photos from his time in charge of Tottenham accompanied by the following caption.
Conte wrote: “Football is passion. I would like to deeply thank everyone at SPURS who appreciated and shared my passion and my intense way of living football as a coach.
“A special thought to the Fans who always showed me support and appreciation, it’s been unforgettable to hear them singing my name.”
“Our journey together has ended, I wish you all the best for the future. Antonio.”
Conte’s former assistant and close personal friend Christian Stellini will stay in England to take charge of the team assisted by Ryan Mason for the remainder of the season.