Following Tottenham Hotspur’s dramatic late win over Chelsea in the Sydney Super Cup, Roberto De Zerbi spoke to the press in an interesting post-match press conference that perhaps generated more questions than answers as to his plans for the squad in the upcoming Premier League season.
After voicing his frustration on Kevin Danso’s red card and the impact that potentially had not only on Spurs’ preparations but the preparations for Chelsea and the fan experience as well, he made a note to praise
the Lilywhites’ cadre of young players, completely unprompted:
Sandro Tonali and Archie and Ben Davies – they played more than the plan was before the game; like Robertson and Lucas Bergvall, but they were good – and I’m so happy for the young players, because Malachi, Rio, Tye, Kota [the other center back]: they have been in this period very important for us. Very good players.
It was a nice moment from the Italian, especially given some of the performances in preseason and the pressure the youngsters were under as Spurs dropped to ten men. Hardy particularly excelled through the tour, and Kyerematen would have been disappointed to finish his trip with an injury following an excellent performance against Sydney FC and one almost incredible shot against Chelsea.
He then responded to a question about Richarlison’s future in a manner that implied the Brazilian was keen to head elsewhere:
I like him as a player, as a guy he is unbelievable, as is his attitude, behavior; but at the end we have to respect what he wants to do, and we know, every one of us knows what he wants to do.
But for me, still an important player, because it’s not so each to find another striker as Richarlison because Richarlison scores goals, and he knows the way…
…I don’t understand well, because sometimes he says to stay, sometimes he leaves, and we have to speak. Anyway, there is not any problem, he is a lovely guy. All of us love him, the team, the club, the staff.
It’s the firmest indication thus far that De Zerbi expects Richy to depart Spurs, as well as adding the fact that Richarlison himself may want to leave, something that has not been clear up to this point. De Zerbi was firm though on the fact that any new signing also presented a risk, and buying a striker from elsewhere was no guarantee of goals.
The Italian also made a point of praising Spurs’ fitness and conditioning staff, indicating that many of the selections had been down to them. Minutes management was imperative ahead of a busy season, with De Zerbi specifically calling out the World Cup as a complicating factor, as he also complimented his team’s intensity.
De Zerbi spoke on a handful of other topics, touching on Cristian Romero’s potential transfer to Inter Milan (he’d spoken to Cuti yesterday, but only in regard to the timing of his return to London) as well as the selection of Archie Gray as captain (he felt it was important for Gray to develop him, before interestingly paying similar compliments to Lucas Bergvall), as well as airing his frustration at what he felt was a poor playing surface.
Lastly, he praised the Australian and Kiwi fans, expressing his admiration at the level of support and indicating he wanted to repay their trust ahead of an intriguing Premier League campaign.
