The arrival of Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham Hotspur has sparked a level of excitement that the club has not felt in a very long time.
While the team is currently in a very difficult position in the Premier League table, the mood at the training ground has shifted almost instantly. According to recent reports from reliable sources close to the club, the Italian manager made a massive impact during his very first session at Hotspur Way. It seems that the players are not just interested in his ideas—they are already starting to believe in them.
This is exactly what the club needs as they prepare for a crucial run of games that will determine their future in the top flight.De Zerbi recently signed a five-year contract with the North London club, which shows that both he and the board are looking at this as a long-term project. Initially, there were rumors that he might wait until the summer to take over, but he eventually decided that he wanted to start the work immediately.
This was a brave decision, considering that Tottenham is currently fighting to stay in the Premier League with only a handful of matches left in the season. The board clearly sees him as the man to lead a total transformation of the club, making him one of the highest-paid managers in the league, trailing only the likes of Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta.The hard work began on Good Friday, which was the first time De Zerbi got to lead the squad on the grass.
The feedback from that session has been nothing short of spectacular. It is reported that several players left the training ground and immediately shared “rave reviews” about the new boss. In fact, one player was so impressed that he told his friends the opening session was “outstanding.” Others have provided similarly glowing reports, noting that the energy and clarity of the training were unlike anything they had experienced recently.
For a group of players who have struggled with confidence throughout 2026, this kind of positive reaction is a breath of fresh air.During the session, the message from the 46-year-old manager was very clear: possession is everything. De Zerbi is famous for his specific style of play, which involves keeping the ball and moving it quickly to frustrate the opposition. Footage from the training ground showed him working closely with the players to implement these ideas right away.
He knows that he doesn’t have much time before his first official match in charge, which will be a tough trip away to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Because of the pressure of the relegation battle, he is trying to cram as much tactical information as possible into every single hour on the pitch.As he prepares for that first game, De Zerbi has some very big decisions to make regarding his starting lineup. He has about a week to look at the players available to him and decide who fits his system the best.
There was some good news on the injury front, as Mathys Tel was seen back in training. He had picked up a knock in the disappointing 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest just before the international break, so having him back is a major boost for the attack. However, it wasn’t all good news. Mohammed Kudus, who has been out for three months with a serious hamstring injury, was still nowhere to be seen. While there were hopes he might be ready after the break, it looks like he might need more time.
The manager is also waiting to see the full extent of other injuries. Players like Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Pape Sarr are all fighting to be fit in time for the Sunderland game. Sarr, in particular, is a concern after picking up a shoulder problem while playing for Senegal during the international break. De Zerbi will need all the experience and talent he can get if he wants to steer Tottenham away from the bottom of the table.
He isn’t just focusing on the players on the pitch, though; he is also expected to have a major say in who the club hires as its next sporting director. This shows that the “De Zerbi revolution” is going to touch every part of the club’s football operations.The next few weeks will be incredibly intense for everyone at Tottenham. The club is taking a big risk by bringing in a manager with such a specific and demanding style in the middle of a relegation scrap.
However, if the players’ early reactions are anything to go by, it might be exactly what was needed to wake up the squad. The fans are desperate to see their team play with the kind of energy and purpose that De Zerbi is known for. If he can translate the “outstanding” work from the training ground into three points on a matchday, the fear of relegation will quickly turn into hope for a bright future. The journey starts now, and for the first time in months, there is a genuine sense of optimism building behind the gates of Hotspur Way.
All eyes will now be on the Stadium of Light to see if this new era starts with the victory everyone is craving.
