Roberto De Zerbi has struck a humble tone ahead of his Tottenham Hotspur managerial debut, insisting he is "not better" than the men he follows into the hotseat. The Italian, appointed on March 31st, takes over a Spurs side languishing just one point above the Premier League relegation zone with seven games to salvage their season.

De Zerbi becomes the club's third manager this turbulent campaign, succeeding the departed Thomas Frank and the briefly tenured Igor Tudor, who lasted only 44 days. As he prepares for a crucial first match against Sunderland, the new boss was quick to praise his predecessors. "I think I am not better than Frank or Tudor because I consider them very good coaches," De Zerbi stated. "I try to bring my style, my character, my personality and my strengths to achieve our target, which is the most important part now."

The scale of the task is immense. Tottenham's form has collapsed in 2026, without a single league win this calendar year and only two victories since late October 2025. A recent Champions League exit to Atletico Madrid compounded the misery for a historic club that has spent only one season outside England's top tier since 1950.

Despite the daunting challenge, De Zerbi, formerly of Brighton and Marseille, expressed his excitement at the opportunity. "For me, it was a big opportunity because Tottenham are a very important club in the Premier League and the Premier League is the best league in the world," he said. He also emphasized the need to reconnect with a suffering fanbase, acknowledging, "The fans are suffering like us. But for the fans, there is just one club... We have to make them happy with the right spirit and the right behaviour on the pitch."

With the season on a knife's edge, all eyes will be on De Zerbi's Spurs this weekend to see if a new voice can spark an immediate turnaround and secure their precious Premier League status.