Antonio Conte has shown his gratitude towards the Tottenham Hotspur supporters, who shared his “passion” following his departure from the Premier League outfit.

After 16 months in charge of the north London team, the Italian left his job as manager of Spurs on Sunday “by mutual agreement.”

After Spurs blew a 3-1 lead in a 3-3 draw at Southampton on March 18, Conte went on a bizarre rant after the game, calling Spurs players “selfish” and unable to play well under pressure. This led to his departure.

“Football is a passion. 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,” Conte wrote on Instagram

“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.”

Conte took over in November 2021. Until the end of the season, his assistant Cristian Stellini will be in charge.

The departure of Conte came with Spurs fourth in the Premier League, but only two points above fifth-placed Newcastle, who have two games in hand in the race for Champions League qualification.

Stellini filled in for Conte on the sidelines earlier this season when the experienced manager was still recovering from gallbladder surgery.

Conte was the manager of Juventus, Chelsea, and Inter Milan, where he won three league titles, but he couldn’t help Tottenham win a major trophy for the first time in 15 years.

At the end of the season, his contract was set to end.

Following the Southampton match, Conte also took aim at Tottenham’s long trophy drought and pinned the blame on a culture of repeatedly changing managers.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, however, said Sunday: “We all need to pull together. Everyone has to step up to ensure the highest possible finish for our club and amazing, loyal supporters.”

But one fan group, the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, asked the club’s board to be open about their plans after the club changed managers for the fourth season in a row.

“This departure will come as no surprise to Spurs fans,” said a Supporters’ Trust statement.

“The club’s board must now have a clear strategy for what and who comes next and it needs to tell this club’s supporters what that plan is. THST has repeatedly called for this and fans deserve it.”