Antonio Conte blasts 'selfish' Tottenham stars after collapse at Southampton

'I’m really upset. They don’t want to play under pressure. I don't see a team'

Tottenham coach Antonio Conte watches the action against Southampton. AFP

Tottenham coach Antonio Conte ripped into his own players in an extraordinary rant after they missed the chance to move up to third with a 3-3 Premier League draw at Southampton.

Spurs looked set to claim a vital win in their quest for Champions League qualification when Ivan Perisic fired home in the 74th-minute after earlier efforts by Pedro Porro and Harry Kane.

Bottom-of-the-table Southampton instead mounted a fine fightback with Che Adams and Theo Walcott reducing the deficit before James Ward-Prowse fired home a stoppage-time penalty to extend Tottenham’s winless run on the road to five matches.

Recent defeats at AC Milan and Sheffield United saw Spurs exit the Champions League and FA Cup to make it a 15th consecutive season without silverware and their manager took aim at all parties in an astonishing 10-minute interview following their collapse at St Mary’s.

“If we are going to discuss the penalty, it means we don’t want to see the other situations,” Conte said.

“I think it’s much better to go into the problem because the problem is that, for another time we showed that we are not a team.

“We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart (in).

“Why? Because they are used to it here, they are used to it. They don’t play for something important. They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress.

Southampton v Tottenham - in pictures

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  James Ward-Prowse (centre) celebrates scoring Southampton's third goal in the 3-3 Premier League draw with Tottenham at St Mary's on March 18, 2023. PA

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  Southampton's James Ward-Prowse scores their side's third goal of the game from a penalty during the Premier League match at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton. Picture date: Saturday March 18, 2023.

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  Theo Walcott scores for Southampton to make it 2-3. Getty

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  Ivan Perisic celebrates scoring Tottenham's third goal. PA

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  Ivan Perisic scores Tottenham's third goal. Getty

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  Harry Kane heads Tottenham 2-1 ahead. AP

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  Che Adams celebrates with Mohamed Elyounoussi after scoring Southampton's equaliser. Getty

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  Che Adams scores for Southampton. Getty

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  Pedro Porro celebrates with Dejan Kulusevski after scoring the opener for Tottenham. Getty

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  Pedro Porro celebrates scoring. Action Images

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  Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring at St Mary's Stadium. Getty

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  Tottenham's Richarlison leaves the pitch after picking up an injury. PA

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  Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte on the ball. PA

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  Harry Kane is fouled by Romeo Lavia. Getty

“It is easy in this way. Tottenham’s story is this. Twenty years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stays here. I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench.

“You risk to disrupt the figure of the manager and to protect the other situation in every moment.

“Until now I try to hide the situation but now, no because I repeat, I don’t want to see what I have seen today because this is unacceptable and also unacceptable for the fans.

“They follow us, pay for their ticket and to see the team another time, to have this type of performance is unacceptable. We have to think a lot about this.”

Last weekend’s victory over Nottingham Forest had lifted some of the gloom around Spurs but uncertainty over the managerial position remained with Conte’s contract set to expire in the summer and no talks over a new deal under way.

Quizzed on if the lack of clarity over his future had affected the squad, the 53-year-old pushed back at another “alibi” for his under-performing players during a passionate monologue.

He added: “The club has the responsibility for the transfer market. Every coach that stayed here has the responsibility and the players? The players? Where are the players?

“In my experience, I can tell you that if you want to be competitive, if you want to fight, you have to improve this aspect and this aspect, I can tell you, in this moment is really, really low.

“And I see only 11 players that play for themselves.

“There are 10 games to go and some people think we can fight. Fight for what with this spirit, this attitude, this commitment? What? For seventh, eighth, 10th place? I am not used to this position.

“I’m really upset and everyone has to take their responsibility. Not only the club, the manager and the staff, the players have to be involved in this situation because it is time to change this situation if Tottenham want to change.

“If they want to continue in this way, they can change the manager, a lot of managers, but the situation cannot change. Believe me.”