Because of Marseille professional Greenwood
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This article appeared at 4:17 p.m. and was updated after the fix was reported.
Roberto De Zerbi will succeed Igor Tudor at Tottenham Hotspur. According to consistent media reports, the 46-year-old Italian had been the favorite for a long time, and according to the Times, an agreement with the struggling Premier League club followed on Tuesday. Even before he took office, there were critical voices from the fan camp.
Update 5:56 p.m.: De Zerbi was officially introduced as the new Tottenham coach on Tuesday evening.
According to the report, De Zerbi signed a long-term contract in north London – until 2031. However, whether the Italian will fulfill this is questionable given the terms of office of his predecessors. Since Mauricio Pochettino left in November 2019, nine different coaches have tried their luck, only three of them lasted longer than a year (for an overview). Tudor had to retire after seven games and 43 days.
And De Zerbi’s career has not been characterized by much continuity so far. At the age of 46, he has already completed eight positions, the longest of which he stayed at US Sassuolo (2018 to 2021). He was last on the sidelines in Marseille from July 2024 to January 2026, where he averaged 1.81 points in 69 games.
Tottenham should now save De Zerbi from the threat of relegation. In the Premier League, the Europa League winner is in 17th place and just one point above the relegation zone. If the new coach manages to stay in the league, he will reportedly receive a financial bonus.
Tottenham fans against De Zerbi – handling of Greenwood unacceptable
Regardless of the sporting quality of the new coach, there was criticism from within his own ranks even before the official confirmation. Three Tottenham fan clubs spoke out against De Zerbi in a public statement. The Proud Lilywhites, the official LGBTQ+ supporter club, the Women of the Lane, the supporter club for women, and Spurs Reach – the supporter club for fans of different backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures, called on the club to “rethink its values”.
The reason for the criticism is De Zerbi’s treatment of his former player Mason Greenwood, who was arrested in England in 2022 on “suspicion of rape and bodily harm”, but was released on bail a short time later. While his former club Manchester United then kicked him out, the offensive player was allowed to continue his career in Marseille.
De Zerbi presented himself several times in front of the now 24-year-old, who developed into one of the best scorers in Europe’s top leagues in Ligue 1, but was not noticed by the English national team under coach Thomas Tuchel. The supporters’ clubs pointed out that the club is responsible for setting standards that “shape how people feel, who feels welcome and what behavior is considered acceptable”, adding: “The coach plays a big role in this.”
