Tottenham Legends Divided Over Roberto De Zerbi Appointment Amid Relegation Battle
Former Tottenham Hotspur stars are sharply divided over the club's imminent appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager, with Tim Sherwood notably warning that the Italian tactician does not represent 'a safe pair of hands' for the critical Premier League run-in. Spurs have been urgently searching for their fourth head coach in under 300 days following the sudden departure of Igor Tudor, with De Zerbi emerging as the leading candidate after extensive negotiations between the parties.
The Urgent Search and Controversial Candidate
The North London club finds itself in a precarious position, needing to make a swift managerial decision with only seven matches remaining to avoid a catastrophic relegation to the Championship. De Zerbi, the 46-year-old former Brighton and Marseille manager, is expected to receive a lengthy contract despite concerns about his recent job stability and certain controversial associations.
Some sections of the Tottenham support have voiced objections regarding De Zerbi's role in rehabilitating Mason Greenwood's reputation during their time together at Marseille. Furthermore, the manager is understood to prefer waiting until the summer for a new role, but Tottenham's desperate situation appears to have accelerated the timeline dramatically.
Sherwood's Stark Warning
Tim Sherwood, who managed Tottenham between 2013 and 2014 and recently offered his services again, has delivered a particularly blunt assessment. Speaking on Sky Sports, Sherwood expressed admiration for De Zerbi's football philosophy but questioned his suitability for the immediate crisis.
'For anyone going in now, you have to put a question mark on it because you've only got seven games left,' Sherwood stated. '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've picked him over Mauricio Pochettino for the long-term because he plays that style that Tottenham fans want to play. He opens up the pitch - but not now. That style is not needed now, what they need now is a safe pair of hands. This is far from a safe pair of hands.'
Sherwood elaborated on the tactical risks, noting: 'I still like him. I love his personality and the way his teams play. But they can be open and can get hammered in some games - you can't get hammered between now and the end of the season.'
Murphy's Mixed Review and Dyche Preference
Former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy echoed similar concerns while acknowledging De Zerbi's qualities. Murphy, who played for Spurs between 2006 and 2007, highlighted the club's proud record of never being relegated from the Premier League as being under serious threat.
'I liked watching his Brighton team a lot and I thought top seven getting them into Europe was a successful season,' Murphy told talkSPORT. 'It's not necessarily the yardstick to then go manage a so-called bigger club, like (Graham) Potter from Brighton to Chelsea and failing.'
Murphy praised De Zerbi's training methods and strong personality but warned: 'I think if he goes in there and tries to make them play like his Brighton team, they could go down.' The pundit revealed a clear preference for a more pragmatic appointment, stating: 'But if you told me over the next seven games, would I rather have Dyche ahead of De Zerbi, I'd say yes.'
O'Hara's Enthusiastic Endorsement
In stark contrast, former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara has emerged as a vocal supporter of the appointment, urging skeptical fans to reconsider their position.
'I am a bit annoyed and upset at Spurs fans who don't want him,' O'Hara declared on talkSPORT. 'What planet are we living on? He is a top Premier League manager. He plays fantastic football. He is in the game, he knows the Premier League, he is fresh... we aren't talking about a Harry Redknapp. I don't get the argument. We are getting a top quality manager who will come in and be the manager we thought he was going to be when he left Brighton.'
O'Hara dismissed criticism of the move as unfounded, adding that Spurs fans should 'stop moaning' about the likely appointment and recognize the quality De Zerbi would bring to the club.
Additional Concerns and the Greenwood Factor
Former striker Darren Bent raised another significant concern regarding fan reception, pointing specifically to De Zerbi's association with Mason Greenwood. 'It's an interesting one,' Bent said on Fozcast. 'I really like De Zerbi, but people have spoken about how much he defended Greenwood. That's a problem before we start. I like De Zerbi, I think he's a good manager, but, when you get a new manager come in, you want that feel-good factor. Even if it's 10 per cent of the fans, they make a big noise, you have to listen to the noise.'
Bent aligned with Murphy's pragmatic view, suggesting: 'I would say I think Sean Dyche is the one they need.' This sentiment reflects the broader dilemma facing Tottenham's hierarchy—whether to prioritize short-term survival with a pragmatic manager or commit to a long-term vision with a stylistically bold but potentially risky appointment in De Zerbi.
The club's leadership appears to have chosen the latter path, trusting De Zerbi to navigate the immediate relegation threat while building for the future. However, as the divided opinions among former players demonstrate, this represents a gamble of considerable proportions for a club facing its most critical period in recent Premier League history.
