Roberto De Zerbi shares a surprising thing he did to help Spurs stay out of relegation
Roberto De Zerbi has opened up about how he had to take charge to help Spurs stay in the Premier League last season.
After a tough few months, Tottenham Hotspur made De Zerbi their permanent head coach with a five-year deal in March. Despite the odds, he kept Spurs up, finishing just two points above the drop on the final day of the 2025/26 season.
In just a short time, De Zerbi has turned Tottenham from a struggling team into one many expect to qualify for the Champions League. But he didn’t go about it in the usual way. He shared how he made sure Spurs would stay in the Premier League.
“I’m not big on rules,” he told The Times. “I read that creative people don’t follow many rules. I like creative players, so I keep rules to just two or three. I’m not a policeman, not even with my kids. Freedom is key.
“Everyone is equal, whether you’re like me or a kitman. But every day, we have to work hard and deserve to be here, play football, and earn what we do. Otherwise, it wouldn’t feel right. We must respect the luck we have.”
When De Zerbi joined in March, things were pretty tough at Spurs. He said some players were so down after a 1-0 loss to Sunderland in his first game that they were “crying, lying on the floor.”
To lift the team’s spirits, he made a bold move — he let the players have a big night out with drinks.
“One big dinner with alcohol in Mayfair,” he revealed. “Alcohol can be a good medicine if you enjoy it responsibly. I believe in staying together. I shared my thoughts with them every day.
“I think they felt worse than others thought. But there was a chance to stay up and win because the team had great potential.”
With just one game a week this season, Spurs have a strong chance to grab a European spot, much like Manchester United last season. Plus, exciting new signings like former Newcastle star Sandro Tonali have boosted the team’s mood.
De Zerbi thinks this is exactly what Spurs need to reach his goal of winning a major trophy one day.
“Words aren’t always clear, but the facts are on the table,” he said. “We need to bring in top players to get more competitive. I don’t know if we will win right away, but we want to do better than the last two seasons in the league.
“I see a trophy as the end of the journey. I can only manage the journey itself, from start to finish. Now isn’t the time to focus on trophies.
“A trophy will come if we work well on this journey, give our best, and the players play at their highest level.”
Spurs kick off their 2026/27 Premier League season with an away match against London rivals Brentford.