Some members of the Tottenham Hotspur squad were fearful over the potential appointment of Antonio Conte, according to The Athletic. 

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With Nuno Espirito Santo now in the job, the report casts some fresh insight into Spurs' protracted search for a new boss. 

Much of the squad were thought to have been left in the dark as the club saw moves for the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Paulo Fonseca and Gennaro Gattuso break down. Conte - a serial winner - is thought to have held talks too, although could not agree on the sporting project in play at Tottenham. 

For their part, some of the players are believed to have felt as if they would not be compatible with the Italian's tactics or philosophy. 

Why would players fear Conte? 

Clearly, Conte is one of the elite managers in the game at the moment. 

Indeed, he's won titles with three clubs including a Premier League win with Chelsea, so surely the idea of working under his tutelage would largely be exciting, especially in a team not exactly renowned for winning major honours. 

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Still, the 51-year-old does have quite the reputation. Noted for his demanding and intense brand of management, former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos is said to have intervened when the Spanish giants considered appointing Conte in 2018, with the players reportedly preferring a softer style of coaching. 

"I've always said: respect is earned, it is not imposed," he said at the time (via AS).

"We have won everything with managers that you know, and in the end, the management of the dressing room is more important than the technical knowledge of a manager."

Have Spurs made a mistake in not appointing him? 

That surely depends on how the Nuno era goes. 

Conte does have a track-record of winning trophies and, should the Portuguese fail to improve on even last season at Tottenham, his figure could loom large. 

Still, he is said to have asked for a massive summer budget during his talks with Tottenham, so perhaps not moving for him is in the best interests of the club during what is a difficult financial period anyway, even if that doesn't exactly sound overly ambitious to supporters. 

What did Conte say about Tottenham? 

Speaking to Gazetta Dello Sport in June after the Spurs talks broke down, Conte suggested money was not the issue. 

"Money is not my obsession," he said (via The Mirror). 

"I look at projects and I'm ready to stay at home if they don't convince me. I like difficult challenges but if there is something with a club that does not convince me, I prefer to say: no, thank you."

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