Football
Human Elements! De Zerbi reveals secret behind Spurs first win
Tottenham Hotspur secured their first Premier League win of the season after beating Coventry City on Monday night.
Roberto De Zerbi’s team put in a dominant performance to outclass Coventry 3-1, a result that moved Spurs out of the relegation zone.
De Zerbi has now revealed that a shift in psychological approach helped his team regain confidence.
The manager revealed that a candid squad meeting held prior to their resilient 1-1 draw at Manchester United laid the groundwork for their recent improvement in form and spirit.
Roberto De Zerbi looks on during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Tottenham Hotspur and Coventry City. (Photo by Harry Murphy – Danehouse/Getty Images)
De Zerbi emphasized that tactical tweaks were secondary to the human element within the dressing room. “It’s important. The result is important but most important, two things. First one, we are able to realise we can win a game like other teams in the Premier League. The second thing, if we put [in] something from ourselves like we have done in the last two weeks. The day before Old Trafford we had a big meeting and spoke about the situation. We can’t accept and can’t move on if we don’t accept responsibility,” the Spurs manager revealed.
De Zerbi took his squad on a warm-weather training camp to Marbella last week, aiming to strengthen team unity away from the pressures of their routine schedule.
The former Marseille manager believes the getaway was crucial for fostering genuine camaraderie.
“This week has been important because we spend time together and want to be like a family. During the game if you have a problem and there is a tough situation you have to play for your friend and your brother, not like 11 robot players on the pitch,” he said.
Tottenham have moved up to 16th place on the Premier League table and will be eager to keep up the good form when they face London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.