Tottenham have announced the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as their new head coach. He becomes their third manager in this turbulent season after Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.
However, not every Tottenham fan is pleased with De Zerbi’s arrival. There have been concerns over his comments defending Mason Greenwood at Marseille. The Englishman previously faced charges of assault, but they were eventually dropped.
Greenwood eventually had to leave Manchester United and ended up joining Marseille under De Zerbi. The Italian manager heaped praise on the forward during their time together, describing him as a “good guy”.
De Zerbi will address his Greenwood comments after joining Tottenham
In the last few days, multiple Tottenham fan groups have released statements against De Zerbi’s appointment. They have stated that they cannot support the Italian due to his backing of Greenwood.
Following his appointment, Sky Sports has reported that the Spurs board “carefully considered” De Zerbi’s comments and the fan groups’ statements. The outlet’s chief correspondent, Kaveh Solhekol, has also reported that the head coach will address his comments in the media, stating:
“The Tottenham board were aware of the strength of feeling with regards to his appointment and knew some fans would be unhappy about it. They have spoken to Roberto De Zerbi about it.
“It has been addressed behind closed doors and it will be addressed in public as well. When De Zerbi has his first press conference, he will address the media’s questions and the concerns of the reporters.”
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This could be a big step in the right direction, at least for some Tottenham supporters. If De Zerbi can address his comments about the Englishman in a good way, he might gain some understanding at his new workplace.
What did De Zerbi say about Greenwood?
Now, many have stated that De Zerbi was only defending his player at Marseille, as all coaches do. However, the Italian did appear to speak often about Greenwood’s character. In one interview, he said (via The Athletic):
“He is a player of an extraordinary level. I am happy that he scored, as that way he will be less of a target for controversy.”
In another interview, he added:
“It saddens me what happened to him because I know a very different person from the one portrayed in England.”
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust released a statement after De Zerbi’s appointment at Tottenham. They labeled his comments for the Englishman “unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive.”
Greenwood played 68 games under the Italian, recording 44 goals and 15 assists.
