‘Honestly’: Clubs insiders expected Spurs man to leave in February, but that’s all changed now – journalist

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Plenty has changed at Tottenham since Antonio Conte’s post-match interview after the defeat at Burnley in February.

Spurs went down 1-0 that day and it seemed that the Italian might not last the season but he has since transformed them into favourites for the top four.

The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare has said that there was a genuine chance that Conte would leave after that Turf Moor loss, but that the picture has changed now.

“The problem was it didn’t seem like there was going to be much time. He did give the impression that he might be off,” he said.

“Honestly at that time, after that Burnley game, speaking to people at the club and sources close to the club, very, very few people were thinking he was in it for the long term.

“Most weren’t even thinking he was going to be there next season. It really did feel like for whatever reason it wasn’t going to work out.

“If they don’t get top four we could be in for a summer of speculation of will he or won’t he stay. If they do, I would be very surprised if he didn’t stay.”

Conte’s reign at Spurs did not get off to the smoothest start, as it remained to be seen whether they would exasperate him or he would drag standards up at the club.

At the moment, they are flying and it is all about keeping that level of performance and momentum up between now and the end of the season.

And if they get into the top four, as Eccleshare said, it would be a shock if the Italian left and it would be exciting to see where Conte could take the club.