Roberto De Zerbi wants his Tottenham players to forge a band of brothers in the fight to escape relegation.
He has urged them to show more ‘personality’ and ‘character’ on the pitch and called on Micky van de Ven and Dominic Solanke to step into the leadership void after captain Cristian Romero was ruled out for the rest of the season by a knee injury.
‘They don’t need to improve as players now,’ said De Zerbi, ahead of his first home game in charge on Saturday against former club Brighton. ‘To achieve our target, we don’t need to become better with the ball, or better without the ball.
‘We have to be stronger in our heads, to have character and stronger relationships between the players.
‘We have to believe in ourselves, believe in our club, be happy to wear this shirt, be happy and proud to work in this big club. Just that is enough.’
De Zerbi grabbed the Spurs crest on his shirt as he finished his sentence.
The last time he was on the touchline in N17 he was Brighton boss and sent off after a furious row with Cristian Stellini, then interim Spurs boss, in April 2023.
Roberto De Zerbi has called on his Spurs stars to show more personality in their battle to avoid relegation to the Championship
‘We have to show there is blood not water inside,’ said De Zerbi when reminded of this.
When he returned with Brighton 10 months later, he was in the stands serving a touchline ban for collecting three yellow cards.
‘I can’t change who I am,’ he added, and would like to see more passion from his players.
‘I’d like to push with Solanke, because he is one of the best strikers in the Premier League,’ said De Zerbi. ‘I want him stronger as a personality and character on the pitch.
‘Xavi Simons is very young but is a leader with the ball, because he has personality and the right character to receive the ball when the ball is hot.’
De Zerbi challenged Dominic Solanke and Micky van de Ven to step into the leadership void
De Zerbi noted Joao Palhinha and fit-again Rodrigo Bentancur as leaders in Romero’s absence.
He also name-checked Guglielmo Vicario, still out after hernia surgery, and James Maddison, who has missed the entire season with a knee injury but is back in training.
‘Maddison is a top player with the ball but also with personality, character, mentality on the pitch,’ said De Zerbi. ‘I’d like to reach this level for Micky van de Ven for example.
‘It’s not so easy to play with us in this moment but we need players with personality and character. Otherwise, they don’t play with me.’
Spurs are without a win in 14 Premier League games and have slipped into the bottom three.
De Zerbi took his players out for a meal at Mayfair restaurant Bacchanalia, on Wednesday night, to nurture the bonding process.
‘We ate very well, the food was amazing and if we win, I am ready to pay every week for one dinner,’ said the 46-year-old Italian, but he added: ‘Now is a tough situation. They have not so much confidence and are not able to show all their qualities.
‘What I can ask is for them to be closer on the pitch, to consider teammates like brothers because if you consider your team-mate like a brother you go to help him and if he is wronged you hug him and kiss him. We need this, for sure.’
