Roberto De Zerbi has a huge challenge ahead of himself at Tottenham. He is only days into his job but the pressure on the Italian is already rising, via West Ham’s win.
Securing the manager took quite a lot of effort from London club.
Initially, De Zerbi was keen on making a decision about his next club during the summer. But Spurs kept pushing and sealed the deal, with De Zerbi arriving weeks after his Marseille exit. This was covered by Sport Witness, with Spurs having to be truly convincing.
The former Brighton manager is accustomed to fighting battles lower down the table during his time at Sassuolo and even Benevento. That maybe gives some hope to Tottenham, despite De Zerbi’s demanding approach to the game.
Now, backing for the Italian has come from Paolo Di Canio, who has given his views about the move.
No doubt De Zerbi will succeed at Tottenham
Paolo Di Canio spoke to Corriere della Sera about a host of topics – including Italians in the Premier League.
Specifically, the newspaper asked him about Roberto De Zerbi’s move to Tottenham. The Italian said the 46-year-old should have swum across the Channel to join and he is right to take the job.
“Of course he did, he should have swum across the Channel. After yet another stormy sacking, he’s going to a club that spends €250m a year.
“He said he’ll stay even if they’re relegated to the Championship. And I believe you! But he’s demanding and good at creating a team spirit. He can do well.”
Spurs will have an identity
It is well known that Roberto De Zerbi brings a lot of stress with him. His demanding style can lead to private and public battles, as he is used to calling out club leadership.
At the same time, he will give Tottenham an identity. The club has been going through an identity crisis ever since Mauricio Pochettino left and De Zerbi can fix that. This will also bring results relatively soon, even if not immediately.
The current squad may not be entirely capable of playing his way of football. But working on the players now will make them better next season. Even if they do get relegated, sticking with De Zerbi would make a lot of sense as they would be making a sacrifice to hopefully achieve something greater.
That’s the optimistic look, anyway.
