Tim Sherwood has now raised concerns over the potential appointment of Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham, questioning the timing of the decision.
Tottenham Hotspur are working hard to secure the services of Roberto De Zerbi in the coming days, following the departure of Igor Tudor.
Up until now, the Italian had preferred to take the job at Spurs in the summer window, but Spurs are desperate to bring him in immediately.
Talks of a long-term contract are being discussed by both Tottenham and De Zerbi, with the former Brighton boss expected to decide in the coming hours.
Tottenham told Roberto De Zerbi is a risk
Tim Sherwood has now opened up on the possibility of De Zerbi making a move to Tottenham at this stage, raising concerns over timing while backing him long term.
Speaking on the situation, Sherwood questioned whether the 44-year-old is the right fit for the immediate challenge, despite praising his style and personality, and even suggesting he would have chosen him over Mauricio Pochettino for the long term.
He told Sky Sports: “Oh, because he has so little time, for anyone going in there, you have to put a question mark on it, because there are only seven games left.
“I like him, I really do, I like his personality, I said many months ago that he would be the man to come into Tottenham, I would have picked him over Mauricio Pochettino for the long-term.
“He plays that style which Tottenham want, he opens up the pitch, but not now. That style is not what they need now. They need a safe pair of hands; this is far from a safe pair of hands, by the way.
“I still like him, I love his personality and the way his teams play, but they can be open and get hammered – you cannot get hammered now.”
Spurs must balance survival with long-term vision
Tottenham are just one point above the relegation zone. Not only do they need a long-term reset to reconnect the board, players, and fans, but also an immediate turnaround on the pitch. Will De Zerbi really want to manage a Championship Spurs?
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 15 |  LeedsLeeds | 31 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 37 | 48 | -11 | 33 |
| 16 |  Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest | 31 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 31 | 43 | -12 | 32 |
| 17 |  TottenhamTottenham | 31 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 40 | 50 | -10 | 30 |
| 18 |  West HamWest Ham | 31 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 36 | 57 | -21 | 29 |
| 19 |  BurnleyBurnley | 31 | 4 | 8 | 19 | 33 | 61 | -28 | 20 |
It also remains to be seen how Tottenham fans react to the idea of not getting a Pochettino reunion in the summer, if De Zerbi does indeed sign a five-year deal.
It will also not go unnoticed at Spurs that plenty of fans have protested against the idea of signing De Zerbi in the first place. If this is the club’s solution to bring people back together, it’s coming across as more than a little divisive.