They already made their decision – Conte slams Premier League after crucial meeting

Tottenham Hotspur manager, Antonio Conte, has branded Thursday’s crucial meeting between the Premier League and its managers a ‘waste of time.’

Conte criticized administrators of the Premier League for ignoring mounting concerns over the Christmas fixture schedule.

All 20 managers in the Premier League held a virtual meeting to discuss player welfare and fixture congestion amid the Omicron variant of COVID-19 that is spreading faster across the globe.

Several managers, including Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp, have expressed fears over the risk of injury to players exposed to playing three matches in seven days over the traditionally hectic festive period.

But Conte is now saying that any calls for change fell on deaf ears, insisting that the English top-flight league administrators have made their decision.

“I have to be honest, I think that it was a meeting that…yeah we tried to speak,” Conte said at a news conference held on Friday ahead of Tottenham’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace on Boxing Day.

“Some coaches tried to speak to ask about a solution, but I think everything was decided. Yesterday, it was a wall. For this reason, I prefer I don’t go into the conversation.”

Asked if the meeting was a waste of time, the former Inter Milan and Chelsea coach added: “I think so. Because as I said before, when you have a wall in front of you, you can speak or ask what you want. But every decision was [already] taken.”