Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is leaving the club by mutual consent following a postmatch rant on March 18 in which he criticised the club’s players, owner and winning mentality.
In their statement, Tottenham said that Cristian Stellini would oversee the team in an interim role for the remainder of the season.
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“We have 10 Premier League games remaining and we have a fight on our hands for a Champions League place,” chairman Daniel Levy said in the statement. “We all need to pull together. Everyone has to step up to ensure the highest possible finish for our Club and amazing, loyal supporters.”
Conte’s last match in charge was Spurs’ 3-3 draw against the Premier League‘s bottom side Southampton before the international break — in which they had led 3-1 — and came after disappointing exits from the FA Cup and Champions League against Sheffield United and AC Milan, respectively.
Following their draw with Southampton on Saturday, Conte criticised Tottenham’s players, labelling the squad “selfish” as they failed to hold onto their two-goal lead late in the game before aiming a dig at the club’s ownership over their lack of trophies.
The Italian, who has won eight trophies in his managerial career including the Premier League and FA Cup with Chelsea, failed to end Spurs’ 15-year drought of silverware in his 16-month stint at the club.
Conte faced over a month out after undergoing surgery to have his gallbladder removed in February. He briefly returned to oversee Spurs’ defeats to Milan and Leicester City before heading back to Italy to focus on his recovery.
In his absence, assistant boss Stellini led the side to important wins over Manchester City and Chelsea and earned Conte a nomination for Premier League manager of the month for February.
Tottenham face relegation-threatened Everton in the Premier League on April 5.