Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara has called Antonio Conte the greatest Spurs manager of the Premier League era, whilst taking a sly dig at West Ham fans.
A title winner in England with Chelsea in 2017, Conte returned to the English top flight with Spurs in November.
Spurs managed to land Conte in November and fans are still over the moonGETTY A league winner with Chelsea, Inter and Juventus, Spurs have picked up a coach at the top of his game
The Italian was seen as a huge coup when he agreed to replace Nuno Espirito Santo in the dugout, joining months after winning the Serie A title with Inter Milan.
Under Nuno, Spurs were struggling to deal with the fallout from Harry Kane’s failed £100million move to Man City, while experiencing issues at the back when Toby Alderweireld joined fellow stalwart Jan Vertonghen in leaving the club.
However, despite a tough start from Conte that saw a scoreless draw against Everton and a comeback win over Leeds, he’s now settled into his new job, with his side unbeaten in six league matches, claiming four wins, to re-join the Champions League race.
talkSPORT host and pundit O’Hara believes, despite receiving criticism from West Ham fans, his club are now back under Conte having recently leapfrogged their London rivals in the table.
The good times keep on rolling for Spurs under ConteGetty
Meanwhile West Ham are winless in fiveGetty
“People were digging me out when Conte came in,” the ex-Spurs star said on the talkSPORT Breakfast.
“I was saying ‘we’re back,’ Hammers fans were getting on and I was going viral.
“Look at [West Ham now] they’ve fallen away. Spurs are back with Antonio Conte.”
Conte was named Tottenham’s new manager a season after his fierce rival Jose Mourinho left the club, and O’Hara believes it’s a far bigger appointment.
Jose Mourinho’s time at Tottenham didn’t exactly go brilliantlyGetty
And O’Hara rates one of his most bitter rivals in the dugout far higher on current formGetty
Two-time Champions League winner Mourinho failed to lift a trophy in almost 18 months at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and O’Hara thinks Conte is a man on the up, unlike Mourinho.
And he even claims, after just weeks in the job, Conte is the best manager Spurs have ever had in the Premier League era – even better than Mauricio Pochettino who led the club to their first ever Champions League final.
“He is for me, in my era of watching and knowing Spurs in the Premier League, this is the greatest manager we’ve had,” O’Hara said.
“We’ve got a manager at the top of his trade, we got Mourinho at the back of it and now we’ve got a manager who’s absolutely smashing it.”
Betting Offer Of The Day
888SPORT are offering new customers £60 in free bets when you bet £10 as a new customer
CLAIM OFFER
Min deposit of £/€10 with promo code is required – You must bet a min of £/€10 at odds of 1/2 (1.50) or greater on a sports market – £/€10 Free Bets will be credited on bet settlement & then a £/€10 Free Bet every weekend (up to 5 times) and will be valid for 7 days – Deposit balance is available for withdrawal at any time – General withdrawal restrictions & full T&Cs apply 18+ begambleaware.org.
Get The EDGE
talkSPORT EDGE is the free football app that keeps you one step ahead of your mates with short, sharp and shareable content.
Stay up to date with everything going on in the football world with breaking news, live scores and in-app betting.
How can I get it?
It’s available on iPhone and Android devices.
For iPhone, download talkSPORT EDGE via the App Store here.
For Android, download talkSPORT EDGE via the Play Store here.