Two major reasons why Tottenham had reservations about De Zerbi | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as their new permanent manager following the departure of Igor Tudor.

However, according to the Daily Mail, Spurs had multiple opportunities to appoint the Italian tactician but didn’t pull the trigger for two reasons.

Tottenham could have pushed for him this summer before going for Thomas Frank, but didn’t.

Spurs also didn’t move to appoint him when Fabio Paratici wanted to part ways with the Dane before Christmas. They had reservations about his spiky nature.

De Zerbi had provoked the then-interim Spurs boss Cristian Stellini, resulting in a touchline melee.

Both benches received cautions, and the two Italian managers picked up red cards.

There were people at Spurs who were very uncomfortable with De Zerbi’s part in helping Mason Greenwood to restore his reputation at Marseille.

De Zerbi defended Greenwood and helped him bounce back despite accusations of heinous crimes.

Several supporter groups have reportedly made it clear that they are unhappy with De Zerbi.

Ultimately, none of that will matter if De Zerbi cannot deliver where it counts, on the pitch.

Tottenham are staring down the barrel, sitting 17th and firmly in a relegation scrap that few would have imagined at the start of the campaign.

The brief is no longer about style or long-term vision. It is about survival, pure and simple.

Spurs need points, grit and a touch of magic to drag themselves clear.

De Zerbi has built a reputation for bold, transformative football, but this is a different kind of challenge.

If he can pull off the great escape, he might prove why Tottenham were wrong to overlook him.