Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has reportedly told the Spurs board that his scathing post-game attack at the weekend was intended for the players, not the hierarchy.
The Lilywhites were only 15 minutes away from leapfrogging Manchester United into third place in the Premier League table having established a 3-1 lead over Southampton.
However, Tottenham threw away their two-goal advantage over the Premier League's basement side, who rescued a point through Theo Walcott and James Ward-Prowse in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Following the six-goal stalemate, Conte launched into a verbal tirade in his press conference, blasting his "selfish" players and also questioning the club's lack of success under Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy.
"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," Conte said.
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"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.
"They don't play for something important yeah. They don't want to play under pressure, they don't want to play under stress. It is easy in this way. Tottenham's story is this. 20 years there is the owner and they never won something but why?
"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."
However, Sky Sports News now reports that Conte was only lambasting his players and not the powers-that-be, who have accepted the Italian's version of events.
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Levy was in attendance at St Mary's to watch his side's capitulation - cutting a glum figure in the process - and he is now faced with a huge decision to make during the international break.
As things stand, Conte is due to leave Tottenham when his contract expires at the end of the season, but there have been suggestions that he could be sacked before then in the wake of his outburst.
Tottenham players are not believed to have take kindly to Conte's comments, and some of the 53-year-old's squad would be happy to see the manager leave before the campaign concludes.
Mauricio Pochettino has been tipped to return to the hotseat in Conte's place, while Thomas Frank, Marco Silva, Luis Enrique, Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi are among those to have also been linked with the role.
Conte has won 41, drawn 12 and lost 23 of his 76 games in charge of Tottenham, who are only two points clear of Newcastle United in fourth place having played two games more.
Following the international break, Tottenham will aim to snap a five-game winless run away from home when they meet Everton at Goodison Park on April 3.
Ben Knapton
