Roberto De Zerbi on Leading Tottenham Through Relegation and Injury Crisis

Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has identified two key players he believes must step up to help the club avoid relegation from the Premier League, according to reports from the Daily Mail.

De Zerbi, who took over as head coach on a five-year contract following a difficult period for the club, has emphasized the need for specific individuals to elevate their performances as Spurs battle to escape the bottom three. The Italian manager has been vocal about the mental challenges facing his squad, noting that the fear of relegation is affecting player performance.

Speaking about the psychological state of his team after a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland – a result that left Tottenham winless in their last 105 league days and staring at a potential return to the Championship for the first time since 1977 – De Zerbi acknowledged the gravity of the situation.

“I think so. If you ask me, I am 46 years old. I have much [more] experience than the players and I am positive absolutely because I know them as guys and players and for that I am positive, not because we are Tottenham or because I have to do positive [things],” he said when asked if the threat of relegation was behind the team’s struggles.

The manager stressed that regaining confidence is essential, stating that the team possesses the quality to win a single game, which could shift their entire outlook. “They have the quality to win one game and the target now, the closest target is to win one game because if we win a game, we can see everything in a different way,” De Zerbi added.

He further explained his coaching philosophy, highlighting the importance of mental preparation: “You know me as a coach but one very important part for my style of coaching is the mental part, to transfer the confidence of the players, to give what they need in terms of mentality and confidence.”