NS Mura coach Ante Simundza was delighted to seal a famous victory over Antonio Conte and Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night, speaking to Slovenian publication Nadji.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
Qualification for the inaugural UEFA Conference League, we presumed, presented the ideal opportunity for Spurs’ fringe players and most exciting youngsters to make a name for themselves on the European stage.
We envisaged a first senior goal for Dane Scarlett. Perhaps a confidence-boosting display from Harry Winks, Davinson Sanchez and Matt Doherty. Maybe a goal or two for Dele Alli, Bryan Gil or Tanguy Ndombele.
Instead, Spurs are now staring the most humiliating of group-stage exits in the face.
If narrow defeats to Vitesse Arnhem and Pacos de Ferreira were disappointing, a 2-1 loss away from home to a team no one in North London had even heard of a few months ago was nothing short of a disaster.
Can Antonio Conte turn Tottenham Hotspur around?
“Due to the size of the club, due to the reputation of the visiting coach, this is of course a prestigious victory,” beamed a delighted Ante Simudza, his Mura side sealing an iconic triumph thanks to Amadej Marosa’s 94th minute winner and some less-than-satisfactory Davinson Sanchez defending.
“We have to enjoy it, the players deserve to celebrate, but in the morning everything has to get back on track. Today unfolded phenomenally. For the fans, for the media, it’s a great reward for us.
“This is the coach (Conte) who broke Juventus’ dominance in Italy and led Inter to the title. He was also a champion with Chelsea, he coached Italy – I think his results say it all about him.
“He is one of the best coaches in the world.”
If he didn’t know it already, Conte is facing perhaps the toughest challenge of his entire managerial career in the Tottenham dugout – a job that has already claimed the reputations of Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho since the turn of the year.
“I want to be very honest, we have to work a lot and improve in many, many aspects,” Conte told The Standard, pulling no punches following the latest in a long line of dismal Spurs performances on European soil.
“It is important to know this because I am not a magician. After three weeks I have found players that want to work and have great commitment but sometimes it is not enough.”
Brutal honesty. But maybe that is what this Tottenham team need.
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