Tottenham are close to announcing the appointment of new manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Sky Sports News understands that negotiations between the club and the former Brighton manager lasted from Monday night until Tuesday. De Zerbi has been offered a long-term contract, said to last for up to five years.
De Zerbi is understood to have been a unanimous choice at board and ownership level, with Spurs management confident he has the necessary qualifications to make an immediate impact.
Italy’s Sky reports that De Zerbi has reached an agreement in principle to become Tottenham’s next manager.
De Zerbi will be tasked with saving Spurs from relegation after Igor Tudor failed to win a single game during a disastrous 44-day Premier League campaign.
Last season’s Europa League winners are one point ahead of the bottom three teams with seven games remaining.
The former Brighton manager will be in charge of Spurs for the third time this season, but his first game in charge will be against Sunderland in the Premier League on Sunday 12 April, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Sunday, April 12th 1:00 p.m.
Kickoff at 2pm
Spurs worked hard to persuade De Zerbi to take over before the summer, after he had indicated he intended to take time off when he left Marseille in February.
Several Spurs fan groups have called on the club to reconsider de Zerbi’s appointment, citing his support for Mason Greenwood during his time as Marseille manager.
Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood, who has been repeatedly named as a candidate to replace him, told Sky Sports that De Zerbi is the perfect long-term choice, but only if he can keep Spurs in the Premier League.
“I love his personality and the way the team plays,” said the Sky Sports pundit. “But sometimes they’re open, sometimes they get hammered depending on the game, and they won’t get hammered between now and the end of the season.
“[De Zerbi]wanted to take a break after the game against Marseille in February, but why didn’t[Spurs]bring him in then? Why didn’t they bring him in before Igor Tudor? They would have given him seven more games. Then I would have had absolute confidence that he would have kept the team in the league.”
What is De Zerbi’s main job? Start winning and keep Spurs in the Premier League
Sky Sports News reporter Michael Bridge:
“If he can’t succeed in the short term, there’s no real long-term success. For now, forget about getting Tottenham back into European status. They’ve been to Europe about 17 or 18 times in the last 20-odd years, which is a pretty impressive feat considering the number of big clubs that aren’t in Europe.”
“Man United are not in Europe at the moment, but he has to keep this club in the Premier League. It’s serious now. He’s got a decent team. There’s been a lot of injuries. It’s not the team we had under[Mauricio]Pochettino.”
“It’s not even the team from[Antonio]Conte’s era. He doesn’t have[Harry]Kane, he doesn’t have[Heung-min]Son, but he still has players who shouldn’t be anywhere near the bottom three.”
“And if he gets the job, his first job will be at Sunderland and there is a good chance Sunderland will be in the bottom three when he takes that team to the Stadium of Light.
“Keep it simple. He says it took him a number of weeks to understand his philosophy and style of play. He’s an experienced manager. He’s also a Premier League manager. He knows exactly what it’s like to go away to Sunderland. And his first home game will be against Brighton, can you believe it?”
“He knows them too well. It sounds easy, but just start winning and make Tottenham great again.”
Analysis: Maverick De Zerbi gives Spurs the hope they need
Adam Bate of Sky Sports:
It’s the final roll of the dice. De Zerbi or Tottenham bust? To dare means to do something. Is this combustible nature the motivating force that this situation requires? Probably not. But it’s a promise that intrigues, excites and, importantly, gives hope.
Igor Tudor was a pragmatist in theory and proved nothing off the pitch. De Zerbi at least brings Premier League experience and the potential to change the club’s fortunes in the short and long term. If he can keep the Spurs, it could be a turning point.
For better or worse, his reputation precedes him. An innovator in the way the game is played, his name was most often mentioned a few years ago when this journalist was working on a project about the future of football tactics.
Director after director consulted for the project cited De Zerbi as an inspiration. “He’s creating something that’s probably unique in football right now,” said one. “He’s probably Pep Guardiola’s biggest headache,” added another.
why? “Distance, position, body shape, and the intentions each player has.” These ideas still feel progressive. “How you control the rhythm and move through space is going to be a big key in the future.” His teams tend to take the lead.
While Marseille are a club with a proud history and huge support, there are reasons why De Zerbi was not given a bigger job after leaving Brighton. While his predecessor handed him the keys to Chelsea, something was holding back the European giants.
While the brand of football has not always proven to bring top trophies, De Zerbi’s character, his ability to manage ups and downs, was a more important factor. Will he fit in? No matter what he does at Marseille, those concerns won’t go away.
As early as November of the first season, there were intermittent threats to quit, accusing the players of humiliating him with their performances. By April, there were reports that he was refusing to practice with the team to complain about players above him.
Players were let go during training in August, with Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Lowe both transferred. Marseille is a difficult club for anyone to manage, but De Zerbi, 46, was often thought to have inflamed the situation rather than calming it down.
Will Spurs fans be concerned about this? not much. They desperately need someone who can give the club momentum. Of course it’s in their hands. Still, they are vulnerable. If West Ham try to escape in any way, it could be too much for them.
If so, a summer of condemnation awaits. There will be supporters who chose De Zerbi last summer, and others who will bemoan the fact that they had to endure seven games under Tudor before turning to him now. This last die roll must work.
Is De Zerbi a good choice to use mid-season?
Tottenham, currently one point above the relegation zone, need a head coach who can deliver immediate results to ensure they remain in the league with seven games remaining.
De Zerbi established himself as a coach who instilled a possession-based philosophy and built a team that was praised for its appealing style of football.
However, the Italian’s start at Brighton, who was appointed midway through the 2022 season following the departure of Graham Potter, suggests he may struggle to make the necessary impact.
Despite a tough schedule, De Zerbi failed to win his first five Premier League games in charge of Brighton, drawing two and losing three.
When he was appointed to Serie A newcomer Benevento midway through the 2017 season, De Zerbi’s team were praised for their football, but were relegated from Italy’s top flight.
De Zerbi did not win a single game in his first nine games as Benevento’s manager.
The Italian struggled when he took charge of Palermo midway through the 2016 season, winning just one of 13 games before being sacked after less than three months in charge.
“De Zerbi is far from safe hands.”
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Tim Sherwood has told Sky Sports FC that he is a big fan of Roberto De Zerbi but has concerns about his eligibility to save Spurs from relegation.
Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood told Sky Sports News:
“I like him, I really like him. I like his personality. I said many months ago that he would be the player to join Tottenham.
“I would have chosen him over Mauricio Pochettino long-term, because he plays the style that Tottenham fans want to play. He opens the pitch, but not now. That style is not needed now. What they need now is a safe pair. This is far from a safe pair.”
“I still love him. I love his personality and the way the team plays. But sometimes they’re open and sometimes they get hammered depending on the game. They won’t get hammered between now and the end of the season.”
“We saw his Marseille team play against Liverpool with an open style. He opens the pitch and the way he plays is wide.”
“We know how stubborn this guy is. This guy is difficult to deal with, but I like him for that, he has his own ideas and he gets his own way, so that’s my only reservation.”
“If he can get them over the line, I think Tottenham are the best manager to take them forward.
“The main priority is just to keep these guys in the league. He’s not going to be a firefighter type of coach to come in for this seven-game period.”
“He wanted a day off after the Marseille game in February, so why didn’t you bring him in then? Why didn’t you bring him in before the game against Igor Tudor? I would have given him seven more games and I would have had absolute confidence that he would have kept the team in the league.”
“They obviously didn’t want him at the time. He was available, but they didn’t want him.”
