James Maddison has heaped praise on Roberto De Zerbi after the Tottenham Hotspur manager’s impact proved crucial in steering the club away from relegation.
Spurs have Roberto De Zerbi to thank after managing to beat the drop last season, following a disappointing campaign that at one stage saw them sitting in the bottom three of the Premier League table.
The Italian manager recorded three wins in his seven matches in charge, ending Tottenham’s long winless run in 2026 as well as their winless home record in the calendar year, during the most difficult period of the season.
The final-day 1-0 victory over Everton proved to be De Zerbi’s defining moment, ensuring it was London rivals West Ham United who were ultimately relegated instead.
Tottenham midfielder James Maddison praises Roberto De Zerbi impact
Tottenham will now look to build on the positives from De Zerbi’s late-season impact as they prepare for the new campaign ahead.
Spurs attacking midfielder James Maddison, who has experienced relegation before with Leicester City, has now spoken about his appreciation for De Zerbi’s influence in helping Tottenham avoid the drop to the Championship.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Maddison reflected on the manager’s arrival and the immediate change he brought to the squad’s mindset and performances.
He said: “Without him coming in, there is a serious possibility that we would have gone down yeah. That is because he switched the mindset. The passion he shows every single day rubbed off on the players.
“And I think you could see that in the last few performances. Yes, maybe we could still be better in terms of quality and some of the moments we were producing, but the passion and the intensity just switched because it was always there, I never question the group’s mentality.
“I did not see a group who were not willing to try. It just needed Roberto to come in and fine tune and get it out of some of the players, and he did that. So big credit to him.”
Spurs’ focus shifts to squad rebuild under Roberto De Zerbi
The passion from De Zerbi has been evident since his arrival, with the Italian consistently expressing belief in Tottenham’s ability to survive during his early press conferences.
That optimism appeared to translate directly onto the pitch, with Spurs showing a noticeable improvement in intensity and application during the closing stages of the season.
Attention now turns to squad building, as Tottenham prepare for another summer of change both on and off the pitch.
The responsibility now sits with the hierarchy to build a squad in the image of their manager, giving De Zerbi the platform to push Spurs forward in the new season.