Roberto De Zerbi has already admitted that there is a “problem” at Tottenham that could see him sacked by the Premier League relegation battlers.
The Italian became Spurs’ third manager of the season at the beginning of April following the sacking of Igor Tudor, with the former Brighton and Marseille boss charged with saving the North London club from an unlikely relegation.
Since De Zerbi took over, though, Tottenham have fallen into the drop zone, with the immediate impact that the board might have wished in terms of results not having materialised.
His first match saw Spurs fall to a 1-0 defeat away to Sunderland, while his first outing at Tottenham Hotspur season resulted in a 2-2 draw against Brighton, with the Seagulls’ equalising goal coming deep in stoppage time.
While De Zerbi has previously said that he is willing to go down to the Championship with his new side after agreeing a five-year deal, his stance had shifted by Saturday as he was already talking about the possibility of departing prematurely.
De Zerbi: The problem is not the league table
De Zerbi does not fear being sacked because of the club’s league status, but he has indicated that strained relationships in the background could pose issues.
“The problem is not the league. The problem is to keep the relationship with the board and to have the same ideas in the project.,” he told Sky Sports.
“We have no time to lose. We have no time to understand the problems we have this season. We have to be focused just on the next game.
“We have to feel everyone’s responsibility in this situation. And we can’t cry. We have to push to get out of this situation.
“We need players with personality and character. Otherwise they don’t play with me.”
Spurs’ survival in the balance
The situation that De Zerbi has inherited at Tottenham could scarcely be worse. Spurs have been ravaged by injuries all season, and his arrival has not bucked that trend.
Mohammed Kudus, a player the manager himself admitted is “perfect” for him, has picked up an injury while captain Cristian Romero is set to miss the rest of the season.
Should Spurs survive, they have already lined up two major signings: free agents Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi are set to arrive from Liverpool and Bournemouth respectively to add experience and character to the side. These deals will be in grave doubt with relegation, however.
Tottenham’s fate hangs in the balance, with next week’s clash at Wolves likely to play a key role in the future of De Zerbi’s side.
