De Zerbi demands ‘soul and passion’ as Tottenham reshape squad
Roberto De Zerbi has urged Tottenham's revamped squad to play with "soul and passion" after the club narrowly avoided relegation last season. Spurs have added several new faces and began their pre-season tour with a 2-0 win over Auckland FC.
Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has called on his rebuilt side to show "soul and passion" after the club escaped Premier League relegation only on the final day last season.
Speaking during Spurs' pre-season tour in Sydney on Monday, the Italian said the London club was trying to construct a stronger team ahead of the new campaign, which begins on August 22. "We want to build a new team with the qualities, with big players, but with soul, with passion, with all the values we have," De Zerbi said.
Tottenham have moved aggressively in the transfer market after finishing 17th. Their arrivals include midfielders Mateus Fernandes from West Ham and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle, while centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke has joined from Brighton, De Zerbi's former club. Full-back Andy Robertson, centre-back Marcos Senesi and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka have also signed on free transfers.
De Zerbi said his demands extended beyond matchday performance. "Football now is not just on the pitch, it's not just with the ball, it's before, it's in life. It's how many hours during the day you think about your job," he said.
Spurs began their tour with a 2-0 victory over A-League champions Auckland FC in New Zealand on Sunday, with Dane Scarlett and Richarlison scoring. De Zerbi used a number of younger players from the start before introducing a more senior group in the final 30 minutes, including Fernandes, Richarlison, Conor Gallagher and Ben Davies.
He said the result brought an added benefit before the season starts. "We didn't concede, we didn't suffer any injuries and this is big news, important news, especially for the beginning of the season," De Zerbi said.
Tottenham next face Sydney FC on Wednesday before taking on Chelsea in Sydney three days later. De Zerbi also indicated further additions could arrive before the transfer window closes, saying he had held extensive talks with the owner and board and that they wanted "to build a very strong team for this season".
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