Roberto De Zerbi has spoken about what Tottenham Hotspur need to do next after avoiding relegation by the skin of their teeth this summer.
Things looked very bleak for Spurs just a few weeks ago, with many pundits struggling to see how Tottenham would stay up.
However, De Zerbi has always been confident that Spurs can avoid relegation, and his players have managed to repay the Italian’s faith by getting the job done.
The 46-year-old has undoubtedly changed the mood at the club since coming through the door, and he believes that there is still a lot of work to do at Spurs.
Roberto De Zerbi says Tottenham need a rebuild but can retain their core
Reports over recent weeks have indicated that Spurs are ready to invest substantially in their squad this summer, and De Zerbi believes that changes are needed to ensure the club do not end up in this position again.
However, he insists Tottenham already have a strong core group of players whom they can build around.
The Spurs boss said after his side managed to avoid relegation (via Football.London): “From tonight, we need to build the new team. We don’t need to change too many players. We have 10/11/12 players who are good enough to stay as players and people.
“Now we need to complete the squad with the first level of players because I suffered too much, but so did the players, the board and the fans, and we can’t suffer like this as Tottenham Hotspur.”
Spurs board deserve credit for De Zerbi’s appointment
Vinai Venkatesham, Johan Lange, and the rest of the Tottenham top brass have been heavily criticised for their recent mistakes, and understandably so.
The appointment of Igor Tudor blew up in their faces, and there needs to be a review into how that decision and the one not to sign another winger in January were made.
However, they do deserve credit for identifying De Zerbi as the right man and convincing him to take the job when the club were in a perilous position.
Many were shocked that Spurs had turned to De Zerbi in a relegation fight, given his focus on attacking football rather than his defensive solidity, but the 46-year-old was exactly what the club needed to bring everyone together and get the players fighting for each other.
- READ MORE: ‘Massive fight’ – Harry Kane posts 17-word reaction to Tottenham’s Premier League survival