Gary Neville lambasts Tottenham’s ‘pathetic’ season despite final day Premier League survival | OneFootball

Gary Neville has given Tottenham no respite from criticism despite their final day Premier League survival as he labelled their season as “pathetic”.

Spurs, the ninth richest club in world football, were embroiled in a relegation fight that went right to the wire, but victory over Everton on Sunday ensured they avoided such an almighty humiliation.

There were rare scenes of ecstasy at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after full-time, with manager Roberto De Zerbi running onto the pitch as the full-time whistle went, Spurs players and fans alike celebrating the relief that came with their retained top-flight status.

Neville, however, refused to get carried away with the excitement and asserts that last year’s Europa League champions should not be patting themselves on the back.

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Gary Neville blasted Tottenham’s ‘pathetic’ season despite securing survival (PA Wire)

"Is it too far to say that they've been pathetic? That they should be ashamed of themselves? Probably not," he said on Sky Sports.

"This is Tottenham Hotspur. I know sometimes I get mocked for saying this is Manchester United, but this is a football club steeped in incredible traditions.

"Now they've not won trophies for a long time regularly, even though they won the Europa League last year, which was fantastic. It was great for this fanbase to celebrate a trophy.

"But they've been underachievers and underperforming for a long time. This is another level of underachievement and hitting new lows. The last two years in the Premier League."

Their win over Everton, courtesy of a first-half Joao Palhinha goal, was their first at home since beating Brentford in early December, with their form in N17 only better than relegated Burnley and Wolves.

Spurs also experienced a dismal domestic season last term under Ange Postecoglou, again finishing 17th despite success in Europe.

Neville has insisted that De Zerbi will need to make sweeping changes if he hopes to change Tottenham’s fortunes next season and return them to the top-end of the table.

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Neville says De Zerbi must ‘drive a bulldozer through that dressing room’ at Spurs (Reuters)

He added: “For the players, I'm sure for some of them it is real, but for some of them, it doesn't feel like they want to be on the bus and that's what Roberto De Zerbi is going to have to work out. He's probably worked it out already.

"Not winning a game here since Christmas is absolutely shocking for a group of players that have been expensively assembled and for a club of such stature, but they're flimsy, they're weak, they're vulnerable and the autopsy really has got to begin.

"Now they know for real, having escaped today, they can start to basically drive a bulldozer through that dressing room because that's what they need to do.”