Tottenham say yes: Roberto De Zerbi forces Spurs chiefs to accept Arteta like deal

Tottenham have been urged to denounce violence against women and girls following new boss Roberto De Zerbi’s past remarks about Mason Greenwood.

Tottenham Supporters’ Trust release statement

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust has called upon the club to reaffirm its stance in the wake of the 46-year-old Italian’s appointment as their new head coach as a result of his “unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive” comments about Greenwood during their time together at French side Marseille.

Greenwood was charged in October 2022 with one count of attempted rape, one of controlling and coercive behaviour and another of assault occasioning actual bodily harm over allegations relating to a woman after images and videos were posted online, although the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges in February 2023.

Commenting on De Zerbi’s appointment on a five-year deal in a statement released on X, THST said: “The club has previously committed to challenging instances of violence against women and girls and acting with integrity and upholding its values when faced with any incidents.

“De Zerbi’s comments about Mason Greenwood were unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive to a significant number of supporters and, without doubt, will have left victims of male violence alarmed.

“We believe these statements, left unchecked, will create a divide among supporters at a time when we all need to be pulling together to back the team. It is concerning that the club would put us in this position right when the team needs fans the most.

“Fans are rallying behind the ‘All Together, Always’ initiative, and this appointment places heavy strain on that unity. If those remarks reflect his genuine views, they cast a troubling shadow over the values of the club we love.

“The club must reassert its commitment to the values that fans hold dear—chief among them equality, respect, and integrity. Any perceived sympathy toward alleged perpetratorsof physical or sexual violence against women fundamentally undermines trust in the custodianship of this club.”

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The charges against former Manchester United forward Greenwood were dropped because of “a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light”, which meant there was “no realistic prospect of conviction”.

He has since resumed his career and joined Marseille in 2024, with De Zerbi describing the player in November as a “good guy” who had paid a “heavy price”, and adding: “It saddens me what happened in his life because I know a totally different person than the one who was described.”

De Zerbi forces Spurs to grant him complete control

According to reports in Italy, via Sport Witness, not only has the new manager been handed a longer deal than some fans perhaps wanted, he has also been granted serious power of the running of the club.

The media in his homeland claim De Zerbi will be more than just a coach, similar to the way Sir Alex Ferguson was involved in every aspect of Manchester United, a role which very few managers are granted in modern football.

One of the few such cases is Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, claims the report, with both teams in North London now opting for a be-all-end-all traditional “manager” as opposed to the more structured sporting hierarchies seen at most clubs today.

The former Brighton boss has reportedly already been hit with his first concern in the shape of Pape Matar Sarr’s shoulder problem sustained on international duty with Senegal, and it seems he will be totally in control when it comes time to overhaul Tottenham’s injury-stricken squad this summer.