Roberto De Zerbi has directly addressed his controversial comments regarding Mason Greenwood after some Tottenham fans expressed concerns about the new Spurs boss’s character.
Greenwood, who was arrested in 2020 on suspicion of rape and assault, only for the charges to be dropped in 2023, was signed by Marseille after De Zerbi had taken charge of the French club.
The Tottenham boss appeared to defend Greenwood last year, calling him “a good guy” and insisting that he paid “a very heavy price for his mistakes”.
He said: “He’s a good guy, he paid a heavy price for what happened, a very heavy price. He has found the right environment for him. We have lent him a hand and given him affection.
“He’s a little bit introverted but I know him and his family. It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described in England.”
Multiple Tottenham fan groups expressed their opposition to De Zerbi’s appointment due to those comments.
Roberto De Zerbi apologises to Tottenham fans for any hurt caused
Even after he was announced as the next head coach, the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust said they cannot support De Zerbi’s appointment, revealing that they had received many emails from supporters raising concerns about the 46-year-old’s arrival.
However, the new Spurs head coach has now clarified that he never intended to downplay the issue of violence against women, and apologised to those whose feelings may have been hurt by his words.
De Zerbi told Tottenham’s official channel: “I have never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women, or violence against anyone more broadly.
“In my life, I have always stood up for those who are more vulnerable, more fragile. I’ve consistently fought and taken a stand to be on the side of those who are most at risk.
“Those of you who know me well, will know I’m not the type of person who makes compromises to win more games or to win an extra title. I’m sorry if this offended anyone’s feelings with this subject matter – I have a daughter, and I’m very sensitive to these things, and I always have been.
“I hope that over time, people will get to know me better and will understand that at that moment, I didn’t mean to take a stance.”
Will De Zerbi’s apology have the desired effect?
It was clear that a significant portion of the Tottenham fan base is not on board with De Zerbi’s appointment, and that appears to be more to do with his controversial past than with footballing reasons.
The club and De Zerbi have both done the right thing by addressing the issue head-on rather than ignoring it and hoping the story goes away.
Only time will tell if it is enough to change the minds of those supporters who took such a strong stance against his appointment in the first place.