What did Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi say about Mason Greenwood?

Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Roberto De Zerbi as head coach following the departure of interim boss Igor Tudor as the club looks to avoid relegation to the Championship.

Spurs sit 17th in the division and just one point above the drop zone after a torrid run of form under Tudor. The Croatian, who had been granted leave following the death of his father, left the club by mutual agreement last week.

Former Brighton manager De Zerbi arrives with healthy Premier League experience thanks to his time at the AMEX Stadium, but his appointment has already been criticised due to previous comments made about footballer Mason Greenwood.

De Zerbi coached Greenwood at Marseille. The former Manchester United winger was charged with one count of attempted rape in October 2022, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The allegations related to a woman after images and videos were posted online.

The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges in February 2023 due to "a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light".

What did Roberto De Zerbi say about Mason Greenwood?

When working with Greenwood, De Zerbi had described the player as a ‘good guy’ who had paid a ‘heavy price’ for past actions. In November, the manager said: "It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described."

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust has released a statement following confirmation of the manager’s appointment. The statement read: "While we recognise the limited pool of managers with recent Premier League experience, and the need to act with urgency as Spurs face the prospect of relegation, this appointment raises serious and far-reaching concerns, and many fans have been in touch with us to urge us to communicate the strength of feeling. We raised these concerns directly with the Club prior to its announcement.

"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.”

Tottenham call for club to ‘reassert’ values following De Zerbi appointment

The THST added: "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 perpetrators of physical or sexual violence against women fundamentally undermines trust in the custodianship of this Club.

"With this appointment, communications from the Club and from Mr De Zerbi must clearly and unequivocally reaffirm these values. Furthermore, those words must be backed by meaningful action, including visible and sustained support for women’s charities and organisations working to combat violence against women.”

In a short statement provided to the club following his appointment, De Zerbi confronted the ‘short term’ priority of climbing the Premier League table. He has signed a five-year contract.

De Zerbi addresses Spurs form as he replaces Igor Tudor

De Zerbi said: “I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world.

“In all my discussions with the Club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters. I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it.

“Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season. I’m looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that.”

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