Roberto De Zerbi
Roberto De Zerbi has made a significant impact at Tottenham Hotspur since his late-season appointment, guiding the club to secure 11 points from their final six matches, thus ensuring their Premier League survival at the expense of West Ham. This achievement not only preserved Tottenham’s dignity but also safeguarded approximately £250 million in potential lost revenue. As the club enters a new era under De Zerbi’s leadership, former Tottenham midfielder Sandro emphasizes the importance of trusting the new manager, drawing parallels with successful managerial strategies at other clubs.
Sandro Raniere said: “It will be a massive change, because now we have the idea of the philosophy. Football has changed, because people just want to be successful, but Tottenham, we have always played attacking football and we need to have someone that has the same idea and philosophy. Of course, you’re playing in the Premier League, it’s not just attack, attack and you have to be clever, you need to control the game. Guardiola for example, you can’t be more attacking than Guardiola, it’s impossible, but it’s very clever. We need to be balanced, attacking and direct, but be ready when we need to defend, and be ready to drop everybody back and really defend.”
Sandro further highlighted the importance of patience and the right managerial support, referencing Arsenal’s transition under Mikel Arteta as a model for Tottenham to follow.
Sandro Raniere added: “In the beginning of Arteta managing Arsenal, everybody was criticising him saying, ‘Arteta should leave, Arteta should leave’, but Edu kept him. And Edu said he needed to buy the players that Arteta needed, that the players that were in the squad were not for Arteta’s style, so he would give him more time, give him more years, give him the players he needs for his style of football; and look at the transition that Arsenal have done. Just look at Arsenal now! No. You have to have the right idea, the first thing is to have the right idea, with the right manager for the team, and then give him the players he needs. And Arsenal did that.”
Sandro expressed confidence in De Zerbi’s ability to lead Tottenham to success within the next two to three years, emphasizing the need for strategic player acquisitions.
Sandro Raniere continued: “But I’m telling you now, Tottenham are going to be a success in two to three years’ time. For two seasons we have struggled, but now I’m very confident that De Zerbi will help Spurs, will build the club again and I think he will find the right players because he’s so passionate and he already knows what he’s going to do. We need to strengthen the attack, with wingers and a striker, because players will probably leave, like Richarlison probably will leave. Defenders, I don’t know but Romero will probably leave as well, and we need to strengthen that central defence zone as well.”
The Brazilian midfielder also pointed out the potential departure of key players like Richarlison and the need for timely and strategic transfers to maintain the team’s competitive edge.
Sandro Raniere remarked: “Richarlison is the reason Tottenham stayed in the league, but I don’t know because it’s his contract that only has one year left. But if he leaves, we need one more striker and I’m not sure who, but we need to look at the market very closely because you know how business is. If you get business done early, you can do better business. We should get players in our mind and we should sign them before the media realise what’s happening and it’s done. The Eze situation [last summer] is for us to learn from.”
Sandro underscored the importance of securing a top-level striker, referencing past missed opportunities and the potential impact of the World Cup on player valuations.
Sandro Raniere concluded: “From before, the striker from Real Madrid, that was in Lyon in France, Endrick. But we need to find a striker who can be at that level. A loan move could potentially be good, but it depends on the World Cup, his value could go way up. But he’s one of the guys that we needed, you know? We needed someone like him.”
As Tottenham embarks on this new chapter, the focus will be on aligning the club’s philosophy with De Zerbi’s vision and making strategic moves in the transfer market to build a squad capable of achieving long-term success.
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