Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison has lavished praise on manager Roberto De Zerbi, crediting the Italian's infectious passion and dedication with steering the club away from a potential relegation disaster on the final day of the Premier League season.
Survival Secured in Dramatic Fashion
Spurs faced a nerve-wracking final day, needing a victory to ensure their top-flight status. While relegation rivals West Ham United secured a comfortable 3-0 win over Leeds United, Tottenham edged Everton 1-0 thanks to Joao Palhinha's 43rd-minute strike. The result confirmed survival, but the margin for error was razor-thin.
De Zerbi took the reins at the end of March, inheriting a side that had not won a Premier League match in 2026. The team had slipped into the relegation zone before his debut at Sunderland, sparking fears of a first relegation in 49 years. Injuries to key players like Cristian Romero and Xavi Simons compounded the crisis, but De Zerbi's unwavering positivity began to restore belief among the players and reconnect with a desperate fanbase.
De Zerbi's Impact Hailed
Maddison, who has been sidelined for most of the season with a serious knee injury, expressed his gratitude to the manager. "I am really happy for the manager who came in and steered the ship clear because I think without him, it could have been doom and gloom," Maddison said. "He's so passionate. He's been living at the training ground with the guys, with his team. He's there at 9pm with all his staff. They've got the tactics board up, there's six of them, they're just talking, it's 9pm and we've already had four or five meetings on each game. He's just obsessed with football and he's passionate."
The midfielder emphasised the authenticity of De Zerbi's commitment, noting how the Italian often says, "I have blood inside me, not water." Maddison added, "When you feel the authenticity of someone who's passionate for Tottenham, because I am, I love this club and I want this club to be successful so bad, and when you see the man who's steering the ship, when he's that genuine, and not just saying it for the sake of it, you can tell he means that. Without that appointment, disaster could have maybe struck, but it didn't and he takes a lot of credit for that because of the work he's done behind the scenes and on the training pitch."
Looking ahead, Maddison acknowledged that missing out on European competition is not the standard for a club of Tottenham's stature, but he sees it as an opportunity to rebuild. "No Europe, which is not what this club should be at, but it is the reality and it can help which it showed with Manchester United this year. So, I'm excited under this manager."
Gallagher Also Credits De Zerbi
Conor Gallagher echoed Maddison's sentiments, revealing that De Zerbi used YouTube clips to transform the midfielder's belief after his January move from Chelsea. "He completely turned around the start of my Spurs career," Gallagher said. "From the first day or two he had everyone under his wing, you can say. Everyone trusted him instantly and everything he was doing, it was like 'thank God he's come in' straight away. I can't speak highly enough of him for what he's done for the club, for the team and for me individually. I'm looking forward to working with him even more."
