Antonio Conte will have no qualms about walking away from Tottenham at the end of this season, according to Rio Ferdinand.
The Italian coach delivered an incredible rant after Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat at Burnley, saying the team’s run of four Premier League defeats in five matches was “unacceptable” and comparing their form to that of a side fighting relegation.
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Although Conte has since played down the tirade and said he was not about to quit, Ferdinand does not expect him to still be at Spurs next season.
"I don't think he'll be there after the summer. Based on what I've seen in the media and the players he's got there," the former England and Manchester United defender said on BT Sport before Spurs' 4-0 win at Leeds on Saturday.
"I think he'll be quite comfortable going 'listen, I didn't know it was that bad’. He's not someone who will look back and regret that, I'll be very surprised if he's still here."
Conte has unexpectedly walked out of top jobs before, such as quitting Juventus in 2014 just after winning a third consecutive Serie A title or resigning as Inter coach last year after leading them to a first league crown in 11 years.
Ferdinand also said Conte’s bizarre outburst after the defeat to Burnley was the opposite of what players need to hear in times of trouble.
"As players there's moments in the season when there comes a time that the confidence is at a low ebb and you're all looking for answers and you look around the dressing room," Ferdinand added.
"If you’ve got a leader, that person steps up and instils that belief and confidence back in the team with a rousing talk. But you never expect your manager to talk defeated like that. I've never known that.
"You look to the leader, to the manager in the moments when you’re down to be the one who pulls you up and you look him in the eyes and think he’s still got the belief. To see that with him, I was disappointed. He's a winner, he's got a work ethic, he grafts. I just hope that was an emotional moment."
The rant may have the desired effect on Spurs, however, as they produced a top-class display to thrash Leeds and move up to seventh in the table.
