Roberto De Zerbi intends to bring back \u201cAnge-ball\u201d as he attempts to prevent Tottenham\u2019s first relegation in 49 years.<\/p>\n
De Zerbi has only seven games in which to impart his complex football philosophy to his players and wants to replicate the rampant, marauding style of the former manager Ange Postecoglou<\/a>, who won Tottenham\u2019s first trophy in 17 years but was dismissed after finishing 17th in the Premier League last season.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to keep the ball,\u201d De Zerbi said. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n When De Zerbi arrived at Brighton, where he grew his reputation for intricate, intelligent attacking football, the defender Lewis Dunk described the early concepts and training sessions as \u201cbaffling\u201d.<\/p>\n This time, with less than two weeks to work with the squad, he has kept things simple. He has had \u201ca lot\u201d of individual meetings with players alongside sessions on the training pitch. The first test of what has been absorbed will be away to Sunderland on Sunday.<\/p>\n \u201cI have no time to think of other things, just football,\u201d De Zerbi said. \u201cJust meeting the players, organising, transferring and finding the best way to transfer my ideas \u2013 two or three, not too many ideas \u2013 that I want to see on the pitch from Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n De Zerbi has often been criticised for short stays. He spent less than two years at Brighton and Marseille, and his longest spell was three years at Sassuolo. He said on Friday that he left Marseille owing to \u201ca different view of football\u201d. When he left Brighton he also said it was down to a differing vision.<\/p>\n But he insists he is committed to Spurs \u201cfor a long time\u201d after signing a contract to 2031<\/a>, which does not include a break clause if they are relegated. He believes he can lead the club to the top.<\/p>\n \u201cIn my plan for sure there is the idea to stay for a long time, to try to put Tottenham \u2013 I\u2019m not speaking about the titles because it\u2019s not the right moment now \u2013 but to put Tottenham to stay in the first position in the Premier League, because there are all parts to reach that level.\u201d<\/p>\n De Zerbi said he is committed to staying at Spurs \u2018for a long time\u2019 after signing a deal to 2031. Photograph: Chloe Knott\/Tottenham Hotspur FC\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n Spurs have lost seven of their past nine games but De Zerbi has analysed their recent matches and taken encouragement from the 1-1 draw at Liverpool<\/a> and 3-2 Champions League win against Atl\u00e9tico Madrid.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to show this for 90 minutes and we have to believe in ourselves,\u201d he said. \u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n De Zerbi was taking questions from the media for the first time since the backlash to his appointment<\/a>. Before he had signed a contract to replace Igor Tudor, several fan groups \u2013 including Proud Lilywhites and Women of the Lane \u2013 released statements opposing the move owing to his past comments about Mason Greenwood.<\/p>\n Greenwood was charged in 2022 with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The Crown Prosecution Service discontinued the case<\/a> in February 2023 after key witnesses withdrew their involvement and \u201cnew material came to light\u201d. Greenwood had denied the charges.<\/p>\n While working with the former Manchester United striker at Marseille, De Zerbi described him as \u201ca good lad\u201d who had \u201cpaid in a strong way for what happened\u201d.<\/p>\n