Di Canio: De Zerbi ‘should have swum across the English Channel’ for Tottenham
West Ham icon Paolo Di Canio humorously remarked that Roberto De Zerbi should have considered swimming the English Channel to join Tottenham, especially considering the club's substantial annual expenditure of €250 million.
In a recent interview with Corriere della Sera, the former Italian striker shared his thoughts on De Zerbi's recent appointment as the head coach of Tottenham. De Zerbi, who previously managed Sassuolo, Brighton, and Marseille, initially hesitated to accept the Spurs' offer before the 2026-27 season but was ultimately convinced to sign a long-term deal in North London.
Di Canio: De Zerbi ‘can do well’ at Tottenham
Di Canio is confident that his fellow Italian made the right decision in accepting the club's proposal, despite Tottenham's current involvement in the Premier League relegation battle.
"Absolutely! He should have swum across the English Channel," Di Canio stated.
"After yet another tumultuous dismissal, he's joined a club that spends €250 million annually. He mentioned he would stay even if we were relegated to the Championship, and I believe him. He is demanding and excels at fostering team spirit. He has the potential to succeed there."
De Zerbi departed from Marseille by mutual consent in February and subsequently signed a five-year contract with Tottenham at the end of March.
During the same interview, Di Canio also commented on the state of Italian football, arguing that Antonio Conte would be a more fitting replacement for Gennaro Gattuso than even Manchester City's manager, Pep Guardiola.
Fresh materials — Sport news
Football Italia Show: Italy's Convincing Win, Doumbia and Vergara Set to Stay
Italy secured a 3-1 victory against Turkiye in Bologna, guaranteeing a seeded position for the Euro 2028 draw. This win places them one point ahead of Belgium before upcoming matches against France and Belgium in November. Roberto Mancini made significant changes to the lineup, with only Donnarumma
De Rossi: Blaming Players Like a Clown Means I'm Done as Genoa Coach
Daniele De Rossi is confident Genoa will improve despite a rough start, securing just one point in five matches. The coach emphasized to La Gazzetta dello Sport that theatrics won't solve their issues. “We’ll climb out of this, just like last year. The key is everyone’s commitment. I want t
Gila’s Honest Milan Assessment: ‘We’re a Europa League Team with Scudetto Ambitions’
Defender Mario Gila supports Ruben Amorim’s coaching approach, recognizing that the team is still building momentum. Speaking at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, Gila described Amorim as a coach who instills grit and adopts an aggressive pressing style, fitting for modern European footb
Donnarumma: Italy Showed Great Team Spirit in 1-1 Draw with France
Gianluigi Donnarumma believes Italy demonstrated the characteristics of a strong team during their 1-1 draw in France. "Not everyone can come here and perform like that," he stated. Following mixed results in their initial Nations League matches, Italy's display against France offered a cle
Rabiot Praises Italy's Spirit and Donnarumma's Brilliance in Draw
Adrien Rabiot acknowledged Gianluigi Donnarumma's "extraordinary" performance after France's 1-1 draw with Italy. He was also impressed by Roberto Mancini's squad. Italy created the clearer chances in the first half at the Stade de France. Michael Olise opened the scoring when his free ki
Giacomo Raspadori Out for Italy's Remaining Nations League Matches Due to Injury
Giacomo Raspadori will not participate in Italy's final two Nations League matches. The FIGC announced Tuesday evening that the forward underwent tests confirming his unavailability for upcoming games, leading to his return to Atalanta. This sidelines him for the match against France on Friday and