An Unceremonious Return

After a brief spell in France, Roberto De Zerbi returned to the Prem with Tottenham. At one point, the Italian promised to be the next darling of the Premier League.

With more and more issues following him, why do teams still covet the former Brighton coach?

In an attempt to save themselves from drowning, Tottenham kicked out Igor Tudor after a string of disastrous results. Fresh off being dismissed by Marseille, Spurs quickly moved for De Zerbi.

With this appointment, Tottenham appears to be operating under the assumption that they are safe from relegation and that this is a long-term appointment. Under this thinking, the club sees De Zerbi as the future long-term manager for the Lily Whites. For a multitude of reasons, continuing to see the Italian as this misunderstood talent feels delusional.

While he built an impressive resume before moving to English shores with Brighton, his final year with them, coupled with his time at Marseille, surely must have made teams think twice about him. Controversial statements, player fallout, and tactical failures marred his time in France. By the time the club stepped in to remove him, most felt that the Italian would need to work his way back to the top.

Tudor proved, to no one’s surprise, to be a terrible decision; rather than trying to find stability, Tottenham gave the reins to a volatile manager.

The prestige that De Zerbi somehow continues to maintain will eventually wear out, but will it take Tottenham down?

Only a few years ago, if one told a Spurs fan that the club would be hiring De Zerbi, they would likely feel the club was back to its glory days. After Graham Potter left Brighton for Chelsea, the Italian reinvigorated the Gulls with a fun style of play that got them playing above their level.

Well-suited to Brighton’s transfer policy, De Zerbi made his name by developing youngsters while staying competitive. The likes of Moisés Caicedo and Alexis Mac Alister became Prem stars under the Italian. Continuing in the footsteps of Potter, he made sure that these players featured in a system that best fit them.

In contrast to the more defensive styles of the current era, De Zerbi’s sides thrived in attack. To his credit, he built fun sides that consistently broke down clubs with better resources than his. Even at Marseille, this remained true, as he took Real Madrid to the edge in the Champions League.

By the 2023 season with Brighton in the Europa League, the Italian quickly became the manager tipped for greatness. Just as Potter or Howe before him, the way De Zerbi pushed a mid-table club to impressive heights seemed to be a good barometer of his potential.

As the club continued to challenge for Europe, it seemed like it’d only be a matter of time before a big club came hunting for the Italian. Everything pointed to a future at one of Europe’s elite, similar to how Enzo Maresca is currently being seen. Within a year, everything fell apart. 

Bubbling under his success was Brighton’s structure, one that seems to thrive no matter the manager. Warning signs about De Zerbi’s true potential should have been noticed with how easily the club went from Potter to him without skipping a beat. As another stint proved, the manager needs structure more than he can impose on himself.

De Zerbi’s two-year stint in the Prem built such a large runway for him that it seemed Europe’s giants were the next logical step.

However, by the time of his return, barely anything remains of that runway. 

The issues that arose in his final season only persisted at Marseille. Partnered with Medhi Benatia, the duo tanked a promising Marseille side.

Arguably, the biggest sign that should have hinted that clubs became wary of De Zerbi was the fact that Marseille was the only club that came calling for him. After Brighton let him go for clashes with management, other clubs cooled off, wanting to see him in a different environment. On paper, the Marseille job offered him a perfect opportunity to return a former giant to some level of pride.

Obviously, the elephant in the room surrounding the Italian’s time in the south of France is the Mason Greenwood situation. A despicable human being, whose documented case of domestic abuse, his move drew ire from fans and politicians alike. Most managers may have tried to keep themselves distant from the player, but De Zerbi took him under his wing and protected him.

While he tried to distance himself from the Greenwood situation in his first presser in London, the Italian defended him for two seasons. Nothing can or will change those facts, but that wasn’t the end of his issues with certain players.

A flare-up between Adrien Rabiot and Rowe saw both players banished to Serie A, where they became among the best in their positions. However, his bullying of Ismaël Koné revealed his petulant side, and he, too, was sent packing for Italy. Koné, too, seems to have gotten the better of the Italian, having a great season thus far.

Perhaps had Marseille actually won something or been a truly top side in Ligue 1, most would have been more willing to deal with De Zerbi. However, his system never truly translated to the French league despite flashes of potential in the Champions League. Too often, the club played down to their opponents, never showing the dominance that their transfers should have.

A tenure marred by concerns about his treatment of players and too many periods of inconsistency eventually led the French club to cut ties with him. After yet another acrimonious divorce, any chance to coach for a top club, or one with the veneer of it, seemed gone until Tottenham came calling.

Signing a five-year contract, even if it likely has some opt-outs for the Spurs, shows that the club believes in a deeply flawed manager. With a controversial spell at Marseille under his belt, De Zerbi destroyed whatever remained of his image.

After two high-profile exits at other clubs, why do Spurs feel that this will end any differently?