Tottenham’s interim manager Cristian Stellini has praised Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, tipping him to become a manager of a top 6 club in the league.
De Zerbi, who replaced Graham Potter in September, has transformed the club’s fortunes in a very short period, leading them to surprisingly challenge for a top 4 spot in the Premier League.
They are only 4 points behind 5th place Tottenham and have two games in hand, which means if they win those two games they will go above Tottenham in the table and just 4 points behind Newcastle and Manchester United who are 3rd and 4th respectively.
Which is what makes Tottenham’s next match against Brighton a must win for both teams. With just 10 games remaining, neither teams can afford to lose any points if they want to keep their top 4 hopes alive.
De Zerbi’s remarkable work at Brighton has made him a wanted man across Europe, with Tottenham said to be one of the clubs interested in him.
Stellini has spoken highly of the Italian manager, citing his great personality and his ability to quickly make his mark on the team.
And when Stellini was asked if he expected the Italian to manage a top 6 club, he said (via The Independent):
“When he was a player, he was aggressive. I challenged him sometimes and he was really aggressive.
“He improved a lot. He has a great personality like a manager and he arrived here in a new country and quickly he put his sign on his team.
“That is not easy for everyone and De Zerbi show also in England, in the Premier League he is a great manager.
“For sure his results were every time good results. He gave to his team good characteristics. He’s very strong in the way he wants to play.”
“De Zerbi is more a manager consistent in the way he wants to hurt the opponent. He is more focused with the ball and what they can do with the ball and being aggressive when they lose the ball.”
Stellini himself has a big task ahead of him, taking over from Antonio Conte as interim manager of Tottenham. His first game in charge ended in a disappointing 1-1 draw against Everton, but he will be hoping to bounce back with a win against the high-flying Brighton to keep their top 4 hopes alive.
