EPL: Tottenham Fans Oppose De Zerbi Appointment As New Coach
Opposition is growing among Tottenham Hotspur supporters over the club’s appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as head coach, following his controversial remarks supporting striker Mason Greenwood.
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust held an emergency meeting on Monday and informed the club that it could not endorse De Zerbi’s hiring. The group said it had received numerous emails from fans expressing concern over the manager’s previous comments.
As reported by BBC Sport on Tuesday, the Co-founder of fan group Women of the Lane, Alli Speechly, also spoke out, stating: “The fact that he hired Greenwood and then publicly backed him is unforgivable. For me, that just speaks to the character of De Zerbi. I don’t want him anywhere near my football club.” She added that she would stop attending matches if De Zerbi is appointed.
De Zerbi, who previously managed Marseille, defended Greenwood in November, saying the striker had “paid strongly” after charges of attempted rape and assault were dropped in 2023. Greenwood, formerly of Manchester United, joined Marseille in July 2024 and has since scored 47 goals in 74 appearances.
Fan groups, including Women of the Lane, Proud Lillywhites (an LGBTQI+ supporters’ association), and SpursREACH, raised concerns that the appointment could undermine the club’s values of integrity, equality, and safety.
The Secretary of the Supporters’ Trust, Tristan Foot, said: “We think that our club should reassert values of equality and respect. This appointment seems to fly in the face of that. If the club goes ahead, we will issue a formal statement reflecting our serious concerns.”
De Zerbi has agreed a long-term deal to replace Igor Tudor and will now face the challenge of winning fan acceptance while Tottenham fight to preserve their Premier League status. Club sources confirmed that De Zerbi’s comments on Greenwood were considered during the hiring process.
The backlash echoes Tottenham’s 2021 managerial controversy involving Gennaro Gattuso, when fan opposition over his past remarks led the club to withdraw him from consideration.
