Simon Jordan believes Antonio Conte and Tottenham Hotspur would be a “marriage made in hell”, telling talkSPORT (26 May, 11am) the Serie A-winning Inter Milan manager is simply the wrong man for the job.
Conte certainly shares some things in common with a certain Jose Mourinho – and not just because they both tasted Premier League and Serie A glory with Chelsea and Inter.
The fire-breathing, blue-eyed dragon of European football is never afraid to air his dirty laundry in public.
Conte has frequently taken aim at his Inter bosses during two years at the San Siro, criticising the Italian giants for what he viewed to be sub-standard recruitment while spending many a press conference firing jabs at a crop of cowering journalists.
Sound familiar, Tottenham fans?
La Stampa raised plenty of eyebrows this morning when it claimed Spurs have offered Conte a staggering £17 million-a-year contract – a deal that promises to make the former Juventus, Italy and Chelsea coach one of the best-paid managers in football.
But while Conte is a proven winner – one capable of transforming perennial nearly men into champagne-swigging champions – former Crystal Palace chairman Jordan has some words of warning.
Could Conte be the new Mourinho at Tottenham?
“Conte is a handful and I don’t think Daniel Levy could cope with him. Where he goes, he’s never happy with what he’s got,” Jordan says of a man whose silver-coated spells at Juventus and Chelsea ended in acrimonious circumstances.
“Of course, (Inter) won the league and he was very impressive at Chelsea. But he always leaves a trail of carnage and ill-feeling.
“I think it would be a marriage made in hell because it would just be a precursor to a problem.”
Tottenham have also been linked with Belgium boss Roberto Martinez, a more affable personality famed for his eye-catching and attractive football.
Jordan doubts Martinez, too
Jordan, however, has doubts about the Spaniard too, highlighting the way the Martinez era unravelled at Everton.
“He went to Everton, he had a 42 per cent win rate at Everton. The fans were getting a bit fed up of him. I don’t think he’s pulled up a few trees at Belgium,” Jordan adds.
“What is it about the (Belgium) appointment that tells you Martinez is going to do what other managers couldn’t do and win a trophy for Tottenham?
“Maybe Martinez represents a polished individual, very easy to deal with? Maybe he wants to get back to his club career and Tottenham is a nice place to land for a manger of his credentials?”
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