Antonio Conte picked out the Tottenham fans for praise as he broke his silence on his departure from the club.
Spurs confirmed they had parted company with the Italian on Sunday evening, with his former assistant, Cristian Stellini taking the reins until the end of the season.
One of Conte’s final acts as Spurs boss was his stinging rant which saw him attack the ‘selfish’ players and also appear to question the club’s top brass after their 3-3 draw to Southampton on March 18.
He was roundly criticised for the rant, but it certainly wasn’t lacking in passion, something Conte said is central to the game in his parting message.
“Football is passion,” Conte said. “I would like to deeply thank everyone at Spurs who appreciated and shared my passion and my intense way of living football as a coach.
“A special thought to the fans who always showed me support and appreciation, it’s been unforgettable to hear them singing my name.
“Our journey together has ended, I wish you all the best for the future. Antonio.”
Stellini has replaced Conte on an interim basis with Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann emerging as a frontrunner for the post on a permanent basis.
