One manager linked with the vacant Tottenham Hotspur job before Roberto De Zerbi arrived has explained why it was not for him
Before Tottenham got their man in Roberto De Zerbi they were heavily linked with former Monaco coach Adi Hutter and the Austrian has explained why it was not for him.
De Zerbi was Spurs’ top choice for the role to replace Igor Tudor permanently but the Italian was initially resistant to stepping into the job before the summer. The north London club were heavily linked with 56-year-old Hutter as one of many alternative temporary options but eventually managed to convince De Zerbi to make the move during the international break.
Now Hutter has spoken in an interview with Austrian media outlet 90 Minuten about a range of topics, including the interest from Tottenham and why he had no interest in taking any managerial job until the summer.
“It’s true that you have to process being dismissed. You have to reflect on why it happened and what you could have done better. That takes time. What I absolutely dislike is playing firefighter,” he said.
“Before I went to Monaco, I could have stepped in as a firefighter in England, but I declined. In my entire 18 years of coaching before Monaco, I only took over a club mid-season once, and that was in 2015 with Young Boys Bern. But there were still 29 rounds to play then, so it felt like a full season.
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“But when you arrive somewhere where things are in crisis, you never have the opportunity to develop your playing philosophy in 10 or 12 games. You have to adopt a completely different approach to coaching and management. I never wanted that. That’s why I communicated quickly and clearly that I only want to return in the summer.”
He added: “I’ve been linked with Lazio and Tottenham Hotspur. Of course, I could say it’s an honour to be a topic of discussion with those clubs. But I’m not the type to broadcast every inquiry or discussion. That’s not my style, and I don’t think it’s fair to the clubs.
“It’s clear that there are always talks and contacts. But I understand that every club doesn’t want to have to moderate a coaching discussion. That’s why such matters are always discussed internally.”
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