Roberto De Zerbi says everybody at Tottenham should be on the identical web page if he’s to remain subsequent season – regardless of relegation.
The Italian promised he can be “the coach of Tottenham next season no matter what” in his first membership interview after signing a 5-12 months contract with uncertainty round his dedication if Spurs had been relegated.
After De Zerbi suffered defeat in his first recreation, a 1-0 loss at Sunderland, Spurs sit within the backside three, two factors from security with six video games to go, and are the Premier League’s solely facet but to win in 2026.
De Zerbi reassured Spurs followers in an unique with Sky Sports that taking place to the Championship will not decide his future.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Tottenham’s defeat to Sunderland
Asked if he will be at Spurs subsequent season no matter occurs, De Zerbi stated: “The problem is not the league. The problem is to keep the relationship with the board and to have the same ideas in the project.”
Pressed to make clear that being on the identical web page – and not Spurs’ division – is essential for him, De Zerbi added: “Yes. Everyone on the same page.”
Analysis: De Zerbi is all in – however wants Spurs to match that
Sky Sports News reporter Michael Bridge:
From sitting down with Roberto De Zerbi it’s clear how formidable he’s and the conviction he has that Spurs will be again within the Premier League’s high six subsequent season if they will keep away from relegation.
But, after all, with six video games to go that could be a very large ‘if’. Spurs are the one facet within the Premier League but to win a recreation in 2026. A coach of his stature managing within the Championship?
I put the query to him of whether or not he may assure he can be at Spurs subsequent season, even when they’re relegated. For De Zerbi, everybody at Spurs being aligned and his relationship with the board – not the division the staff are enjoying in – are most essential to him.
That is a precept De Zerbi brings to each membership he coaches. You may see that at Marseille and Brighton. He can solely function when giving 100 per cent to his membership and this was his method of claiming he must get that again from Spurs.
The summer season’s switch window will be a key check of that, with an enormous rebuild required no matter occurs within the last weeks of the season. De Zerbi will need to really feel supported whether or not that’s spending large on a participant for promotion or to qualify for Europe.
De Zerbi is assured that if Spurs do keep up that they will be preventing among the many Premier League’s elite subsequent season for a type of high six positions. He has little question concerning the potential of this membership – but it surely comes again to that large ‘if’ as soon as once more. Can he maintain them up?
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Tim Sherwood and Michael Dawson break down Spurs’ struggle for survival within the Premier League
‘If you do not have character, you will not play’
De Zerbi takes cost of his first Spurs dwelling recreation on Saturday towards his former membership Brighton, stay on Sky Sports.
A victory towards the Seagulls will take Spurs out of the relegation zone, no less than momentarily, earlier than West Ham tackle Crystal Palace on Monday, stay on Sky Sports.
In a bid to unite the group, De Zerbi took the squad out for dinner as he admitted he has to focus extra on attending to know the gamers slightly than making an attempt to determine why issues have gone so flawed.
“I have to get to know my players better and better every week,” he stated throughout his pre-match press convention on Friday.
De Zerbi has known as for extra persona from his Spurs squad of their relegation struggle
“We have no time to lose. We have no time to understand the problems we have this season. We have to be focused just on the next game. Transfer confidence.
“I can deliver my philosophy of soccer. But additionally working to create ambiance, relationship with the gamers. In this second of soccer, the qualities of the gamers are essential. But the spirit, the relationship between the gamers is just too.
“We have to feel everyone’s responsibility in this situation. And we can’t cry. We have to push to get out of this situation.
“We want gamers with persona and character. Otherwise they do not play with me.”
De Zerbi looking for leaders to reveal themselves
With captain Romero now out for the season, it leaves an already young and fragile Spurs squad with one less commanding presence on the pitch.
While De Zerbi admitted he had bigger problems to deal with than deciding who will take the armband for the remaining six games, he believes that several players in his squad can step up and become leaders in different ways.
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“There are a lot of different types of leader,” he added.
“A leader who talks inside of the dressing room. A leader with the ball. A leader in tough moments. A leader because he helps his team-mates. To be a stronger team we need many of those.
“I would love Micky van de Ven to achieve this stage. [Rodrigo] Bentancur is a pacesetter. Palhinha is one other.
“I would like to push with [Dominc] Solanke because he is one of the best strikers in the Premier League. I want him to become stronger as a personality and a character on the pitch. Xavi Simons is very young, but is a leader on the ball because he has personality. He has the right character to receive the ball when the ball is hot. But we need characters and personalities.”
De Zerbi requires management from a squad full of kids
Analysis from Callum Bishop:
It is commonly stated that when you will have a squad filled with younger expertise, you want skilled heads to assist drag them by means of testing moments. But, the place is that have for Tottenham?
With Romero out till the tip of the season, De Zerbi has one much less chief to depend on when he sends his staff out onto the pitch. James Maddison can not help. There’s no timeframe on Dejan Kulusevski’s return. Not even Ben Davies can are available in and supply any calmness on this strain cooker.
Even in the event that they had been accessible to assist on the pitch, it could not be sufficient. Even with the injured gamers included, Spurs have the third-youngest squad within the Premier League this season.
That implies that gamers who’ve not felt the duty of preventing for survival are being requested to step up and present management that may drag their facet away from a worst-case situation.
Someone like Solanke can be a pure determine to level to. He’s been there with Bournemouth earlier than. Yet, De Zerbi’s feedback make it sound just like the striker is not that sort of persona. The truth he references Xavi Simons, a participant who although technically good has struggled to adapt to English soccer, is a fear.
All that sure is that within the subsequent six video games, somebody must take the bull by the horns. Or, the Seagulls by the wings on Saturday, and show they’re the person that De Zerbi can flip to over the course of the run-in.
Watch Tottenham vs Brighton stay on Saturday Night Football from 5pm, stay on Sky Sports Main Event.
