A new manager is not enough for Tottenham: Gus Poyet says Spurs need three big things to stay up

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Gus Poyet has issued a big warning to Tottenham about their chances of surviving in the Premier League amid another managerial change.

There is now huge pressure on the Spurs leadership. Their decision to bring Igor Tudor through the door did not have the desired effect, as shown by his sacking after just five Premier League games.

Roberto De Zerbi has now been installed as the favourite to land the Tottenham job after the Lilywhites made him a five-year contract offer.

With seven league games left, a new manager has to make an immediate impact to guide the Lilywhites to safety, and a former midfielder has now handed the North Londoners a warning.

Gus Poyet claims managerial change alone will not prevent relegation disaster at Tottenham

Poyet, who spent three years at Spurs as a player and around a year as assistant coach to Juande Ramos, has an explanation for why the Lilywhites have had very different fortunes domestically and in Europe.

He suggested that Tottenham do not have the physical attributes to match many Premier League sides.

The Uruguayan also warned his former club that their top-flight status depends on the players taking responsibility, with a managerial change alone not enough to arrest the team’s slide to the Championship.

Poyet told Football.London about Tottenham’s struggles: “I disagree with people who say ‘this season’. This is not an accident. Tottenham finished 17th last season, and today, they are 17th. I think the characteristics of the players Tottenham have signed, they are more suitable for European competition, which is a completely different game, and not for the English Premier League.

“The Premier League, a little bit last season, 100% this season, has become more physical, man-to-man, set-pieces, and the strongest wins. Spurs, with all the injuries they have, and those players performing at a certain level in Europe but not being able to replicate that in the Premier League, when you start losing, it is difficult to recover.

“You need more than a change in coach; you need a bit of luck, you need players to come back, you need responsibility. They are in danger, I promise you. I was worried when I was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium watching the Arsenal game live, I left that stadium thinking, ‘aye, aye, aye’. That was three or four weeks ago. After watching Forest, [I’m] more [worried]. Careful.”

Poyet reveals what he wants to see from Spurs against Sunderland

Following Tottenham’s defeat to Nottingham Forest last week, Morgan Gibbs-White remarked that Forest showed more hunger and desire than Spurs, even though the home side boasted of more quality in their side.

Poyet warned the Lilywhites that they cannot afford to repeat the same mistake against Sunderland on April 12, adding that they need to match the Black Cats in terms of fight.

The 58-year-old added: “Now they go to Sunderland. All the best going to the Stadium of Light at this moment of time after they won the derby. It’s not just about playing football; it’s about running, it’s about fighting, it’s about competing, it’s about dealing with the pressure when a team is coming and coming and the supporters are supporting.

“You need to be spot on in that game. It’s going to be tough. The most important thing, the only thing I can think, it didn’t happen with me when I was at Sunderland, it’s in your hands. It depends on you.

“If you win the same amount of games as West Ham, then you stay up. Then, we’ll see what happens in the next couple of games.”

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