Roberto De Zerbi Could Become Tottenham ‘Hero’ Feels Ex-Spurs Boss | OneFootball

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Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is of the belief that Roberto De Zerbi would earn hero status if he can haul the Lilywhites clear of their current plight amid an injury-ravaged campaign.

Spurs find themselves in the Premier League relegation zone after 34 matchdays, with just 34 points on the board and only eight wins all season.

Their first victory since December, secured at Molineux against Wolves on Saturday, has left them two points adrift of West Ham United in 17th, with four matches left to preserve their top-flight status.

De Zerbi opened his spell in charge with a defeat and a draw, and while the Italian secured three points against the Old Gold, it came at a cost as injuries to Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke dealt an immediate blow, with the former ruled out for the season.

Those setbacks compound an already mounting injury crisis at Spurs, where attacking options Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison are still waiting to make their first appearances of the campaign for the north London side.

Redknapp weighed in on the situation, warning that the absences of Simons and Solanke could be felt, particularly if the English striker’s problem proves long term.

He acknowledged the injuries as a setback, but stressed that, given the squad’s quality, Tottenham should not find themselves in such a position and ought to cope with the adversity.

The 79-year-old also pointed to what he sees as a disappointing season overall, adding that De Zerbi has stepped into a difficult scenario and now faces the challenge of steadying the side, with the battle ahead likely to go down to the wire.

Redknapp said on talkSPORT (0:49): “Yes, I mean Solanke looked like he got, whether it’s a hamstring or what I’m not sure, but you know they’ll miss him as well, Tottenham for sure.

“That would be a blow to them, but I don’t know, they still shouldn’t, even with that squad, it’s been a horrendous season for them, hasn’t it, really?

“And he’s come in now to try and pick up the pieces, the manager.

“He’s got a hard job on his hands, really, but if he could pull it off, he’d be a hero, but it’s going to be a tight one.”

Doubts persist over whether the 46-year-old can reverse the London club’s slide, with a former Premier League figure highlighting their vulnerability and Simon Jordan also casting the Italian manager as short of an elite appointment.

On Friday night, fellow relegation rivals Nottingham Forest delivered a commanding 5-0 win, boosting their survival push, with one star likening the pressure to international duty.

The Spurs boss maintains the group are united in purpose, yet with their fate slipping beyond their control, the Lilywhites are now dependent on stumbles from the Irons and the Tricky Trees, who hold leads of two and five points, respectively.