Tottenham appoint Roberto De Zerbi in desperate bid to stave off relegation
Tottenham have appointed Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager in a desperate bid to stave off relegation from the Premier League. Spurs sit 17th in the Premier League table and are just one point above the drop zone with seven games of the season remaining.
Tottenham have confirmed that the former Marseille and Brighton boss has agreed to take over, signing a long-term contract in the process, after the departure of interim boss Igor Tudor. De Zerbi has been a long-term managerial target for the club.
De Zerbi said: “I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world.
“In all my discussions with the Club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters. I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it.
“Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season. I’m looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that.”
Spurs are facing a potentially ruinous relegation from the Premier League and De Zerbi has little time to hit the ground running.
Nevertheless, sporting director Johan Lange has talked up his appointment, saying: “Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now.
“He is one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football, and brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League.”
Rio Ferdinand is one pundit who thinks it is a risky appointment, saying: “Listen, at the moment I’d be more worried about the hierarchy, I’d be looking into that. Why has it gone so wrong for so many? Big names, new ones… why has this place not been able to kick on? I don’t understand it because they’ve got it all sitting there… are they [the hierarchy] going to be a hinderance to me [Tottenham’s next manager] behind the scenes? Are they going to ruin my reputation even more now? What’s the situation here?”
Spurs face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light next weekend in De Zerbi’s first game in charge. He will not manage the club at home until April 18, when Spurs face his former club Brighton.
