Roberto De Zerbi light-heartedly confronted a “negative” journalist after Tottenham secured Premier League survival on the season’s final day. Spurs beat Everton 1-0 thanks to Joao Palhinha’s first-half goal, staying up and condemning West Ham to the Championship alongside Burnley and Wolves.
Before his post-match press conference, De Zerbi stopped to ask for a particular journalist. “Where is he?” De Zerbi said. “The one who is always there at the Tottenham training ground. He was negative and I’m positive. But I want to hug him, not to fight.” When the reporter arrived, they shook hands and De Zerbi smiled, asking: “Are you happy?” The reporter later responded: “It’s my job to ask questions, it’s not my job to be positive.”
After celebrating with a glass of red wine, the Italian expressed pride in his injury-hit squad. “We made 11 points in seven games and we deserved more,” said De Zerbi. “From tonight, we have to start to organise and to build the new team. We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay. But first we must complete the squad with first-level players.”
De Zerbi stressed the need to avoid future relegation battles. “We suffered too much. I suffered a lot, the players suffered a lot and the fans. We can't suffer like this until the last second of the last game to stay up,” he said, adding his target is now to start pre-season with “the team I have in my dream.”
He praised the fans who greeted the team bus before the must-win game. “Next season the target is to make them happier than this season for sure,” he said. “I would like to compete, I don’t know for what, but stop suffering like this.”
