Tottenham Hotspur are still considering whether or not to sack Antonio Conte during this international break for his post-match outburst after the draw at Southampton.
Conte spoke with chairman Daniel Levy following his criticism of the Tottenham players, insisting that he had not hit out at the club or the owners.
Levy is understood to be seeking the opinion of some of his closest confidants over the current situation and did not immediately react to Conte’s comments on Sunday.
But sources still believe Levy could sack Conte during this international break once he has taken advice and fully weighed up his options.
Were Levy to sack Conte, then Ryan Mason would most likely be put in temporary charge until the end of the season in time for Tottenham’s next game against Everton on April 3.
Levy is deciding whether or not Conte will still be able to motivate his players for the run-in, following the Italian’s criticism of them.
Tottenham are fourth in the Premier League table, although Newcastle United and Liverpool have two games in hand on them, and Levy must decide whether he thinks the club will be best placed to try to qualify for the Champions League with or without Conte in charge.
With most of the club’s players on international duty, Levy has some time to deliberate over his next move.
Following the draw at Southampton, in which Tottenham squandered a 3-1 lead, Conte said: “I think it’s better to go into the problem, we are not a team. We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart [into it]. This season compared to last, now we are worse in this aspect. When you are not a team you cannot improve.”
He added: “They don’t play for something important, yeah. They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress.
“It is easy in this way. Tottenham’s story is this, 20 years there is the owner and they never won anything but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stays here. I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench. You risk to disrupt the figure of the manager and to protect the other situation in every moment. Until now I tried to hide the situation but now, no, because I repeat I don’t want to see what I have seen today.
“Everyone has to take their responsibility. Not only the club, the manager and the staff. The players have to be involved in this situation because it is time to change this situation if Tottenham wants to change. They can change the manager, a lot of managers, but the situation cannot change. Believe me.”