Roberto De Zerbi has reflected on the situation at Tottenham Hotspur when he first took over from Igor Tudor and revealed why alcohol played a part in the club’s revival.
Four months can be a very long time in football, as demonstrated by the events at Spurs since April.
When De Zerbi arrived through the door, and especially after the Lilywhites secured just one point from his first two games in charge, it appeared like relegation was an inevitability for Tottenham.
However, there is now genuine excitement around Spurs after the Italian managed to keep them in the Premier League, with the North London club’s hierarchy responding by backing their manager in the transfer market.
Roberto De Zerbi likens atmosphere in Tottenham dressing room in April to a funeral
As he puts the finishing touches to his squad in preparations for his first full season in charge, the Tottenham boss has reflected on how bad things were a few months ago.
He admitted that the players were in tears following the club’s 1-0 loss at the Stadium of Light in his first game in charge.
De Zerbi told Football.London: “I was proud and happy [to stay up], but I don’t feel last season was an achievement — it was the players. Because when I came, I saw the players after Sunderland in the dressing room.
“I didn’t tell you in the press conference, but it was like this: all the people crying, lying down on the floor in the dressing room. I asked: ‘Did we pass away?’
“I tried to transfer positivity and observe the situation from another perspective. I was honest; I always considered the Tottenham players as top, top players.”
De Zerbi recalls how a night out changed everything at Spurs
The 46-year-old believes that the turning point for Tottenham in their fight for relegation did not come on the pitch, but off it.
He revealed that the team had some dinner and drinks at the Bacchanalia in Mayfair, which was when a feeling of togetherness was created among the group.
When asked when things started to turn at Spurs, De Zerbi said: “One big dinner in Bacchanalia in Mayfair, with alcohol. Alcohol is a good medicine! If you enjoy normally and seriously, not as stupid people.
“I believe in staying together. Then, I transferred every day my opinion about them. I think they considered themselves in that moment worse than people thought, but there was the possibility to stay up and to win. Have a look last season, we could have won against Brighton, Wolves we won, Aston Villa we won, Leeds we could win because if there was a team who deserved to win it was Tottenham.
“Chelsea maybe we didn’t deserve to win, but we didn’t deserve to lose, and Everton we deserved to win. Sunderland we lost, I think unlucky, because in the first half we had two chances with [Dominic] Solanke and with [Lucas] Bergvall, and one penalty cancelled. We conceded with a deflection. The potential of the team was very high.”
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