De Zerbi apologises to fans for Mason Greenwood comments as he gives his first Spurs interview

Roberto De Zerbi apologises to fans for his comments on Mason Greenwood, as he gives his first interview as the new Spurs manager.

When speculation first emerged that De Zerbi was tipped to take the Tottenham job, fan groups have launched a ‘No to Roberto De Zerbi campaign’, relating to his comments on Mason Greenwood, who was arrested on suspicion of rape, assault, and coercive and controlling behaviour, but the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges.

When Greenwood moved to Marseille, De Zerbi said that he was ‘good guy’ but had paid a ‘heavy price’ and that he ‘knew a totally different person than the one who was described’.

“Mason is a world-class player, but we have not recruited him yet. I don’t know what happened, but I am not used to get involved in my players’ private life. But if he comes here, you have to know that I treat all my players like my sons. I can tell them off in private, but I would never attack them in public.”

Back in November, De Zerbi says he was “saddened” by how Greenwood has been portrayed in England, adding: “He’s a good guy, he paid a heavy price for what happened, a very heavy price,” he added.

“He has found the right environment for him. We have lent him a hand and given him affection. He’s a little bit introverted but I know him and his family. It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described in England.”

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Interviewer: “Roberto, welcome to Tottenham Hotspur. How does it feel to be the new Head Coach?”

Roberto: “I’m very, very happy and very proud to be here. I consider Tottenham one of the most important clubs in the world. And so I’m very happy.

“I have a big responsibility, but, it’s a big challenge for me and I’m looking forward to start and to work with the players and to win some games.

“I watched a lot of games, especially in the last period. I know very well the players. I love football, so I watch many, many games per week. I know everything,I know it’s a tough moment for Tottenham, but I know very well it’s a tough moment. It’s a difficult moment for everyone of Tottenham.

“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 in their confidence and in their qualities. They have to show what they are and what they are used to playing.

“I think we have to be focused just on the Sunderland game. I don’t want to speak about the schedule or the Brighton game or the Wolverhampton game.

“Game by game, we have to prepare the players to win the game and to be focused just on the game. We have to play with courage. We have to play with the qualities of the players, because if I accepted this challenge, it’s because I have a big confidence in the players.

“And the style of the history of Tottenham football is a very clear style of play. The fans in the last seven games, especially in this moment are crucial. We have to be together.

“They have to stay close the players, help the players, and the players have to show the right mentality, the right attitude to give back to the fans’ satisfaction and what they want to see on the pitch.

“Because after this part of the season, I think we can become great in the future.”

Interviewer: “There are fans with concerns about comments you made while coaching at Marseille. Is there anything you would like to say to them?”

Roberto: “I would like to answer your question in Italian because I want to be clear. I’ve never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women or violence against anyone more broadly.

“In my life, I’ve always stood up for those who are most vulnerable, more fragile. I’ve consistently fought and taken a stand to be on the side of those who are most at risk.

“Those of you who know me well, and will know that I’m not the kind of person who makes compromises to win more games or to win an extra title. I’m sorry if I offended anyone’s feelings with this subject matter.

“I have a daughter and I’m very sensitive to these things, and I always have been. I hope that over time people will get to know me better and will understand that at that moment I didn’t mean to take a stance.”

Interviewer: “Roberto, what can you tell us about your footballing philosophy?”

Roberto: “I think it’s not the right moment to speak about my philosophy for football.

“I’m here now, at the end of the season because we have to win games and in football, the style of play, the tactical disposition are important.

“[But] it’s a mentality and, I would like to help the player to reach the best mentality we can show. I signed five years of contract because for me, it’s a big challenge, and I will be the coach of Tottenham, next season, no matter what.

“I love keeping the ball. I love the ball possession. I love creating chances, the chance to score.

“But in the same time, I love 11 defenders when we don’t have the ball because, in this time of football, we have to attack with 11 players, with the goalkeeper as well, and we have to defend with 11 players when the ball is not for us.

“I think, in this moment, we have no time to work too much in more principles, but we have to know what we have to do on the pitch.

“We have to have a good organisation on the pitch with the ball, without the ball. We have to consider the qualities of the players.

“We are lucky. I am lucky because I have big players with big talent, and my work is to help the players to show their qualities.

“Many times, I’ve said football is my life and my life is football, it’s true because football is my work. I respect football because football gave me everything.

“And for me, it’s not real work, It’s a passion. If I stay at home, I watch football. If I work, I watch football, and nothing changes. Stay at home or to be a coach – for me, Tottenham, and especially in this moment, it’s maybe the most important challenge in my career.

“I’m ready to start this challenge and I go to work with my characteristics, with my passion, with my vision of football, and with my knowledge as well.”