Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust has released a statement following the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as head coach, expressing serious concerns over his past comments regarding Mason Greenwood.
Tottenham Hotspur’s appointment of Roberto De Zerbi has not received universal support from Spurs fans (Image: Franco Arlando, Getty Images)
Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust claims the club’s decision to appoint Roberto De Zerbi as its new head coach raises serious and widespread concerns. They highlight comments the former Marseille manager made last year about Mason Greenwood, whom the French club signed from Manchester United just weeks after appointing De Zerbi.
In October 2022, Greenwood was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, attempted rape, and controlling/coercive conduct. However, the Crown Prosecution Service withdrew the charges in February 2023.
They did so through “a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and the revelation of new evidence.” The CPS said this meant there was “no realistic prospect of conviction”.
The trust responded to Spurs’ announcement of the appointment and released its own statement shortly after. It’s a start: “We note that the club has announced the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as manager.
“While we recognize the need to act urgently as the pool of managers with recent Premier League experience is limited and Spurs face the possibility of relegation, this appointment has raised serious and widespread concerns and we have encouraged many fans to contact us to express their strength of feeling. We raised these concerns directly with the club prior to the announcement.”
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“The club has always been committed to challenging instances of violence against women and girls, acting with integrity in the face of any incident and upholding the club’s values. De Zerbi’s comments about Mason Greenwood were unnecessary, ill-judged and deeply offensive to a significant number of our supporters.”
In November, manager De Zerbi called Greenwood a “good bloke” who had paid a “high price”. The Marseille manager said at the time: “I’m sad about what happened in his life, because I know a completely different person than the one described.”
Spurs are said to have thoroughly investigated and discussed statements and feelings surrounding De Zerbi and Greenwood during negotiations. Three supporter groups – Proud Lilywhites, Spurs Reach and Women of the Lane – had raised concerns ahead of the appointment.
THST’s statement continued: “At a time when we all need to come together and support our team, we believe these comments, if left unchecked, will cause a rift among our supporters. We are concerned that the club would put us in this position at a time when our team needs our fans the most.”
Roberto de Zerbi coached Mason Greenwood at Marseille (Image: Jean Catuffe, Getty Images)
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“Fans have rallied behind the ‘All Together All Ways’ initiative and this appointment will put a huge strain on that unity. If these comments reflect his genuine views, they cast a worrying shadow on the values of the club we love.”
“The club must reaffirm its commitment to the values that its fans cherish: equality, respect and integrity. With this appointment, communications from the club and Mr. de Zerbi must clearly and unambiguously reaffirm these values.”
“What we wanted was a short-term appointment of an individual or individuals who understand the club and can guide the players over the next seven games. Then, in the summer, we would have had the opportunity to attract a wide range of potential applicants with a track record of success that will inspire fans and players – candidates who can lead the team over the next few seasons and build on sustained success.”
“The club has made a different choice. We will continue to support the team and do our part to maintain the club’s Premier League status, but it is understandable that many fans will do so with a heavy heart.”
“Our five principles of Spurs ownership include leading with integrity and upholding ethical standards. Supporters currently rate our performance in this area at just 2.2 out of 10. This decision risks further eroding trust if it is not approached with clarity, humility and decisive action.”
“We fully understand that the immediate priority is to avoid relegation. However, this situation is the result of a long-term strategic failure. THST has been warning for many years that the club was heading in this direction, but the lack of timely and sound decision-making has left our options severely impaired.”
“It will take a huge effort for many fans to regain trust in the club’s leadership. That process must start with transparency, accountability and a renewed commitment to the principles that define Tottenham Hotspur.”
