Antonio Conte tried a bizarre tactic to inspire his Tottenham Hotspur players to change

The end of Antonio Conte's time as Tottenham Hotspur manager was hastened by his infamous post match press conference but the Italian was already employing some strange tactics.

Whilst Sunday night might have seemed like a surprising time to make the announcement, no one was exactly shocked by Conte's departure from Tottenham.

The Italian had already signalled the beginning of the end after the club's recent elimination from the Champions League, questioning if he'd make it to the end of the season.

His destruction of the players following the draw to Southampton, after they threw away a two goal lead, made his position in north London pretty much untenable.

Conte has broken his silence on the exit from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, saying, "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."

Now though more details about the final few months of his time at the club have been revealed, that were interrupted by some time back in Italy as he recovered from gallbladder surgery.

According to the Daily Mail, in January, the manager called his players into a team meeting to have a heart-to-heart with them, at the club's Enfield headquarters.

He wanted to discuss what had happened to induce such poor form but, when the last player arrived, the manager immediately exited and told the players to discuss their form without him.

Whilst it seems both hilarious and shocking in equal measure, the bizarre tactic led to the players asking for the tactics to be less rigid and defensive.

The move worked, with Spurs winning five of their next six games in the Premier League and FA Cup, with a loss against AC Milan chucked in.

That form even led to Conte being nominated for the league's Manager of the Month, although he was only in charge of one of February's four league games.

And, unfortunately for him, he oversaw the 4-1 battering at the hands of Leicester City, with Cristian Stellini, now the club's interim manager, taking charge of wins over Manchester City, Chelsea and West Ham, following Conte's surgery.

Now it's Stellini's job to steer the ship and help them finish in the top four to get Champions League football for next season, otherwise someone else will be clearing up the mess left by Conte come the summer.