Alan Shearer Exclusive: De Zerbi is a big gamble but he'll keep Spurs up | OneFootball

Roberto De Zerbi could have written his own contact with Tottenham. I mean, he probably has done. I wouldn't read too much into the five-year thing, because you don't know what clauses are in there. If you get sacked, then you might only get 12-months pay, if you're lucky.

But I guess it's a gamble from his point of view, because he doesn't want to manage in the Championship, and there's every chance that he could be. He's backed himself for the last seven games of the season to make a difference.

He knows the league, he's got a certain style of play, and whether he can implement that in between now and the end of the season, we'll have to wait and see.

We've all been saying that Spurs are too good to go down. Well, let's see if he can get a turn around with the players, because I don't think it matters how good you are in terms of ability. Mentality is the most important thing. And up to now, they haven't been able to handle that.

Can he get a little bit of belief into the players between now and the end of the season? That's the biggest thing, because he has to make them believe that he can get something out of them.

Tottenham have got an incredibly tough game next weekend at Sunderland in their first match under De Zerbi, so everyone's going to be looking at that.

Whoever they were going to appoint, they were going be taking a risk, but they've put their cards on the table and say: "You're our man, five-year deal, good or bad, you're with us. "

It's definitely a big gamble, but it would have been whoever they appointed because of the precarious position they're in.

Roberto De Zerbi has a history of doing it his own way. You have to do that as a manager, and he hasn't been at clubs for that long. That's why I wouldn't read too much into the five-year contract.

All that matters for Spurs now is just to stay in the Premier League, and then they can go again next season. I think he will just about keep them up.

When I was manager of Newcastle and in a similar situation to De Zerbi, we were bottom of the league, so it was slightly different. But it's a really tough situation.

I was Newcastle's fourth manager of the season and Roberto De Zerbi is now their third. You're given the job for a reason. You're not given the job because everything's great at the club, and you have to walk into this situation. You're basically given the job because the club are in s**t.

Winning the FA Cup would save Liverpool's season

I think if Liverpool were to win the FA Cup it would save theirs and Arne Slot's season.

I think it's a huge game against City. Obviously, they've still got loads to play for, despite the criticism and the negative energy, but they've brought it on themselves.

But there's still a real chance that they can have a successful season, despite all the talk around Slot maybe not being there next season. And this is one of those games where it could rescue the season, I guess. But it's a big ask.

It's not simple, it's going to be really, really tough, but Slot needs to get Liverpool into the Champions League and somehow get through to the next round of the FA Cup, and then it will soften the talk a little bit around him.

On the other hand, if Liverpool don't do that, then you know how loud the noise is going to be.

Slot has been in the game long enough to understand the situation that they're in, and how football works. It's as simple as it sounds, but it's obviously very, very difficult, but he knows what he has to do.

Isak return for Liverpool could be like adding a new player

Depending how fit Isak can be, or how good he can be in between now and the end of the season, he could be like a new player coming in, because we've seen hardly anything of him. Certainly, nowhere near the form that we've seen him in at Newcastle last season.

Whether he can get up to speed that quickly remains to be seen, but it could be a great boost for Liverpool to have him back.

Eddie Howe deserves the chance to rebuild Newcastle next season

I don't know whether Howe would read Hopkinson's quotes, to be honest. I don't think it would bother him, I think he's been in the game long enough, even though he's not that old, he's vastly experienced. He understands how the game works.

For me, Eddie Howe is the most successful manager in Newcastle's history. He saved Newcastle from a disaster. So, if there's one manager that deserves the chance, or the opportunity to go again in the summer, it's him.

The position that Newcastle are in at this moment in time, through no fault of their own, because of PSR or SCR, whatever, it's been a really tough, difficult season for Newcastle.

There are many factors for it, and I guess there has to be an inquest into how, why, and what. But I think if there's one manager that deserves the chance to go again and try and rebuild to get back where they have been in recent seasons, then I think it's Eddie Howe.

He deserves that because of what he's done for Newcastle, and what he's achieved. I'd be more than happy to say he has to be able to go again.

I wouldn't have pulled out of the England squad

I would never have pulled out of an England squad, never would, never did. But I really understand the situation because Arsenal are on the brink of making history.

They're on the brink of something very, very special. They're on the brink of winning the Premier League, they're on the brink of an FA Cup. They're in the quarter-final against Southampton this weekend. They're on the brink of the Champions League. Arsenal and Bayern Munich are the only in-form teams in Europe, so there's something very special that could happen for them, so I get it, and I understand it, and I do know why Mikel Arteta would have done it and would have spoken to his players.

But then again, it's still down to the individual to do what he wants to do, you know? I've always said you're never really 100% fit, other than the beginning of the season as a footballer. There's always something you're carrying, so, it is down to the individual if he wants to play or if he wants to rest.

And also, they're going into a World Cup, so it's a very different situation. I understand it, I get it. Would I have pulled out? No, I wouldn't have.

I think in Madueke's case, it was pretty genuine, he came off mid-first half, so I don't think you can take that label off him in this circumstance.

But I go back to my first point, I do understand it, I get it at this stage of the season, and that's why I also say that you're probably better off giving the players time off, or taking the players away for a break, rather than playing football at Wembley in front of 80 or 90,000 fans, because there's an expectation that comes with that, and you've got to try and perform.

But I think in the end of March, beginning of April, when there's so much at stake, then I do think you're probably better off giving the players the time off, or giving them a holiday.

It was a surprise to see Jermaine Defoe go into management

Jermaine Defoe loves the game. I worked with him a couple of weeks ago on the last weekend of the month, we did the Newcastle-Sunderland game together for PLP.

I know how much he loves the game, and how much he loves the rapport with people being in and around it. But it was a bit of a surprise to see him go into management, he didn't say anything. I didn't know that he was looking to go in to something like that.

I respect it. I think it's brilliant, you know, because he could have done what we all do, and sit comfortably, and go and talk about football every week, but he's taken a big opportunity.

It's a huge job for him to put himself into that position.

I was never offered to manage at that level but there were little talks about going into Cardiff for a year or two after I did the Newcastle job, but nothing ever materialised. That was a long time ago now and that managerial ship has sailed for me.

Arsenal are going to take some stopping in the Premier League

Man City are hoping that the win in the League Cup can shift the momentum. But at the moment Man City would swap places with Arsenal. Arsenal are in the driving seat, they've been the most in-form team, they've been the best team up to now.

Arsenal are going to take some stopping, but that's what Man City are hoping and wanting, is trying to put pressure on as much as they can.

In the last couple of games, Man City haven't been able to do that, so that's given the initiative to Arsenal.

You'd much rather be in Arsenal's position than anyone else's, as much as the pressure is, because they haven't achieved this in such a long time, and everyone is asking, are they going fall away? But they are the only guys that can answer that.

I think Arsenal will get the job done and win the Premier League this season. Defensively, because of their structure and because of how sound they've been, I think they will do it, yeah.

Real Madrid come alive in the Champions League - don't rule them out

I think it'll be Arsenal or Bayern Munich that win the Champions League this year. I've seen every team this season. I've been to most grounds in Europe, and those two, without doubt, have been the standout.

Bayern and Arsenal have performed consistently nearly every week, but there's a reason why Real Madrid have such a history in this competition, because they come alive now.

I've seen them a couple of times, and I've worked in the grounds a couple of times with them. Real Madrid haven't impressed me, but obviously, you have to be impressed by how they work in this competition. And normally, come March or April, they come alive, and that's why they're the most successful team in the competition.

Arsenal and Bayern Munich have to try and get over that, they probably are the teams to beat and have definitely been the standouts in the competition.

However, Real Madrid live for this competition. They get judged on this competition. No other team really gets judged. That's their history, and their history tells you that.

Man City will win the FA Cup if they beat Liverpool

It wouldn't surprise me if Man City won the FA Cup. They've already got one in the bag. I don't think they're going to win the league. They can't win the Champions League.

I know they've got a tough draw, but I do think with their history and with their experience, they may be the favourites to win it. If they get through the next round against Liverpool, then I think they'll win it.

West Ham will be the third relegated team

Obviously, Spurs have made their move in terms of managerial change. But as to who goes down this season, I haven't got a clue. Honestly, there's an argument to say all of them could be relegated, such as Leeds, West Ham, Spurs, and Forest.

I think Forest will get out of it. I do think it's between the other three, Leeds, Spurs and West Ham. I'd probably have to say West Ham will be the third relegated team alongside Wolves and Burnley.

But West Ham are the team with a little bit of form, and that's what counts at this stage of the season. It's going to be fascinating to see what happens in the next couple of months.

I hope Middlesbrough get promoted

I hope Middlesbrough get promoted, because they're great games to play in, and great games for the fans to look forward to. I know it's not the biggest derby, but with another North-East team in there that would be great. I think Coventry will definitely do it. I really hope Middlesbrough are one of the others that come up.

March international breaks should be scrapped

I am really glad club football is back this weekend, it's been a long couple of weeks. I do wonder sometimes if, particularly at this time of year for international football, is it worth it? I know managers have to plan, and they've got a huge tournament ahead of them.

But I do sometimes think that it'd be better off just to have the players to have it off, just to relax and do nothing, and have a weekend off, or a week off, because the last two games have probably been better for the players that didn't play and weren't in the squad than were in the squad for England. Clearly, for obvious reasons because it hasn't been a good 10 days or 2 weeks.

I thought the games were pretty poor, but I wouldn't read too much into that, to be honest, because friendlies in March, ahead of a World Cup, are never, ever a good way to judge things, but it has been a poor couple of weeks for England, anyway.

Maybe two or three of the players played well, but not one standout. I thought Garner did well, I thought Rashford did okay in the first game, I thought Harry Maguire did okay in the first game. But nothing really more than the manager probably knew, so I don't think there was a real standout across the games.

The March international break didn't work for Tuchel

I don't think this international break worked for Tuchel, but it is very difficult to judge as well, because he was without Saka, Rice, Kane etc. Who are obviously all going to be, for me, guaranteed starters at the World Cup.

I think it probably told him more about who not to pick than who to pick, and I don't think I wouldn't judge it too much because end of March, beginning of April friendlies and for internationals are not a good way to look at things, because you can be blindsided by your judgement, I guess.

Tuchel has been around long enough to understand and know that, and a game for England would be very different in June than it would be now.

It wouldn't surprise me if the next couple of friendlies, even before the World Cup starts, are similar to what we've seen, because no jeopardy football means it's tough to have an opinion about what to judge, as in terms of personnel, and in systems, and all of those things.

I think Thomas Tuchel, if the World Cup started tomorrow, he would know exactly what 11 he wants to pick, now.