Roberto de Zerbi’s reign as Tottenham Hotspur head coach gets underway at Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.
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Roberto de Zerbi has given an insight into the message he has delivered to his Tottenham Hotspur players as he prepares to get his managerial reign underway with a tough-looking visit to Premier League rivals Sunderland this weekend.
The Italian was confirmed as permanent successor to former Spurs boss Thomas Frank last month - but he has had to wait to officially kick off his reign as the final international break of the season took place. The former Marseille boss will hope to guide his side away from the Premier League relegation zone and that is where Spurs could find themselves by Sunday morning if results elsewhere on Saturday go against them.
De Zerbi’s appointment brought questions over his coaching style and his preferred style of play that brought successor at Brighton and Hove Albion earlier in his career and he will be keen to make a similar impact on the squad he inherited from Frank. That has also provoked debate over whether the current Spurs players are compatible with what will be asked of them throughout the remainder of the season and beyond - but De Zerbi has revealed his first priority is to ensure they show the ‘right spirit’ and get themselves on the front foot.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the former Seagulls boss said: “Listen, my style is one part, about the style of play and one part about the character, the personality. I have no time enough to work in the principle or in build-up so much, or in the last 20 metres. I want to give organisation with the ball and without the ball. Two principles without the ball, three principles, four more. Something more in possession, in offensive phase and that's it.
“What I want to do, what I want to achieve immediately is the character, is the right spirit, the right courage to play, to attack. Because the DNA of this club, of this squad is to find the goal, to score. In this part I can be able to transfer, not in too much time, my principle.”