Credit: Imago

Cameron Smith

Sat 4 April 2026 7:00, UK

Tottenham Hotspur fans are beginning to feel hopeful about their future under Roberto De Zerbi.

The Italian head coach takes the reins from Igor Tudor, who lost his job just over a month after taking over from Thomas Frank.

De Zerbi makes the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium having recently left Marseille, after guiding the French giant to the Champions League last season.

Returning to the Premier League after a previous spell with Brighton, the 46-year-old has spoken in his first interview at the North London club.

As a result, Spurs fans are beginning to love the things that they are hearing from their new manager.

Tottenham fans loving what they are hearing from Roberto De Zerbi

De Zerbi joins the club knowing that the current predicament is far from ideal, but acknowledges that he is in it for the long haul in North London.

Joining Brighton in 2022, he guided the Seagulls to the Europa League after a sixth-place finish, overseeing some of the best football across the division at the time.

Speaking to the club’s media team, De Zerbi said: “I have a big responsibility, it’s a big challenge and I’m looking forward to start and to work with the players and to win some games.

“I think we have the right qualities to come out from this moment. I believe in the players. I think we have to remember who we are and who the players are, because we have very big players and we have to work on their confidence and the qualities of them. They have to show what they are and what they are used to playing.”

Reacting to his first interview at the helm, Tottenham fans are eager to see whether the Italian is able to sort out the Lilywhites’ defensive issues.

One of the main criticisms throughout the entire campaign has been the reserved setup in North London, something that supporters feel will not be the case under De Zerbi.

Spurs sit 17th in the Premier League, with the Lilywhites hovering just above the drop zone following their 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.

And with the club looking to climb out of trouble, it is clear to see who has the blame from the supporters.

But most importantly, there is a positive atmosphere around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with fans appearing to be in full support of De Zerbi.

With Tottenham out of the FA Cup, they have a week to prepare for their next league clash against Sunderland, where three points will be a must as they look to build momentum from here until the end of the term.

De Zerbi has an important role for Tottenham in the long run

The current remit for Tudor is to guide Spurs to safety after a dismal campaign so far.

But he holds an important role in preparing Tottenham for the future, should they secure their Premier League status come May.

Following the Europa League triumph under Ange Postecoglou last May, the feeling was that Spurs were entering a new era, with the trophy drought finally over.

That has not proven to be the case, with a lack of discernible direction once again costing Tottenham in comparison to their ‘big six’ rivals.

Tudor will play an important role in drilling an idea in at Spurs – one involving the attacking football that supporters are desperate for, alongside the required fight to secure their place in the division.

The immediate goal is survival, but De Zerbi will be looking to implement his style and get the club firing on all cylinders heading into next term.