Antonio Conte has officially put pen to paper to become Tottenham Hotspur's new manager, agreeing terms on an initial 18-month deal.
It will be his second spell in the Premier League after spectacularly winning the title with Chelsea back in 2017. However, in spite of the success, Conte didn't escape criticism during his time as the club's manager.
The season after his all-conquering side rocketed their way to glory, the 52-year-old was mired in controversy for the way Chelsea performed against Manchester City at the Ethiad.
As the clip below highlights, The Blues effectively parked the bus from the outset, refusing to be dragged out of their rigid, defensive shape.
"That was a crime against football what they [Chelsea] did today... it was like they didn't want to go forward at all," the former Liverpool midfielder added.
"I really feel really strongly about it. I was looking forward to watching this game today."
Redknapp's colleague Gary Neville added: "This is woeful from Chelsea. It really is. In terms of a Premier League game it's unacceptable.
"That has nothing to do with solidity or shape of the team they are playing, it is just the intent.
"Look at them. When I'm sat in this seat you always think: 'am I calling it wrong or am I being too harsh?'
"There is no part of me that can watch this and think this is right. It just is not right."
Conte was quick to fire back at the criticism, arguing that it would have been pointless to have attacked City, as that may have resulted in his side being on the wrong end of a hammering.
"I think you have to accept every criticism, but I am not so stupid to play against Man City open and lose 3-0 or 4-0," the former Inter boss was quoted saying by The Sun.
Quite how Conte sets his Spurs side up in the coming weeks remains to be seen, but it certainly wouldn't come as a shock if he attempts to do something similar in away games - at least until he is able to recruit players in January.
Featured Image Credit:Topics:ย Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League, Antonio Conte
