Roberto De Zerbi will take charge of Tottenham Hotspur for the first time this Sunday as they face Sunderland, with the new manager targeting an immediate revival of the attacking football philosophy known as 'Ange-ball' to save the club from relegation.
De Zerbi's Mission to Replicate Postecoglou's Style
De Zerbi has only seven games remaining this season to implement his complex football ideas and wants to replicate the rampant, marauding style of former manager Ange Postecoglou, who won Tottenham's first trophy in 17 years but was dismissed after finishing 17th in the Premier League last season.
"I want to keep the ball," De Zerbi said. "I want to see again the Tottenham I watched with Postecoglou because, in my second season in Brighton, there was Postecoglou here with a lot of these players and it was one of the best teams in terms of quality of play. With Pedro Porro, with Destiny Udogie, with Micky van de Ven, with Cristian Romero, and I would like to see it again."
Limited Time for Implementation
When De Zerbi arrived at Brighton, where he developed his reputation for intricate, intelligent attacking football, defender Lewis Dunk described the early concepts and training sessions as "baffling." This time, with less than two weeks to work with the squad before his debut match, he has kept things simple.
He has conducted numerous individual meetings with players alongside training sessions, focusing on transferring just two or three key ideas to the pitch. "I have no time to think of other things, just football," De Zerbi explained. "Just meeting the players, organising, transferring and finding the best way to transfer my ideas – two or three, not too many ideas – that I want to see on the pitch from Sunday."
Long-Term Commitment Despite Past Short Stays
De Zerbi has often faced criticism for short managerial stays, spending less than two years at both Brighton and Marseille, with his longest spell being three years at Sassuolo. He previously cited "a different view of football" as reasons for leaving those clubs.
However, he insists he is committed to Tottenham "for a long time" after signing a contract until 2031, which notably does not include a break clause even if the club is relegated. "In my plan for sure there is the idea to stay for a long time, to try to put Tottenham – I'm not speaking about the titles because it's not the right moment now – but to put Tottenham to stay in the first position in the Premier League, because there are all parts to reach that level."
Analyzing Recent Performances
Despite Tottenham losing seven of their last nine games, De Zerbi has analyzed recent matches and found encouragement in the 1-1 draw at Liverpool and the 3-2 Champions League victory against Atlético Madrid.
"We have to show this for 90 minutes and we have to believe in ourselves," he emphasized. "The most important part in football is the mental part. You are used to speaking too much about the style of play, the tactical disposition, blah, blah, blah. But in the end, the mental part is crucial in every work, especially in football, especially in this moment in Tottenham."
Addressing Backlash Over Past Comments
De Zerbi faced his first media questions since the backlash to his appointment, which came after several fan groups – including Proud Lilywhites and Women of the Lane – released statements opposing his hiring due to past comments about Mason Greenwood.
While working with the former Manchester United striker at Marseille, De Zerbi had described Greenwood as "a good lad" who had "paid in a strong way for what happened." Greenwood was charged in 2022 with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behavior, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, though the Crown Prosecution Service discontinued the case in February 2023 after key witnesses withdrew and new material emerged.
"I wasn't surprised," De Zerbi said of the backlash. "I was a bit sad and sorry it happened, because I'm sorry if somebody took offence. I must repeat what I said the other time. This topic is very close to me, I'm very sensitive about this topic, because of the person I am and because I have a daughter."
He continued: "And so I must repeat what I said the other time. I have always been against – always – any type of violence, especially against women. But not only violence – even just sexist jokes or other sexist behavior." When asked if he hopes fans will accept his apology, he responded: "Yes, also because I'm not going to go back over this topic. I spoke about it in my first interview, I spoke about it today, and it wouldn't be right to go back over this topic again."
The Italian manager now faces the immediate challenge of implementing his football philosophy while navigating both on-field pressures and off-field controversies as Tottenham fights to avoid their first relegation in nearly five decades.
