Roberto De Zerbi Admits He Is Not Better Than Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor

JAKARTA - Tottenham Hotspur's new coach, Roberto De Zerbi, insists he does not feel better than his predecessors, Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.

This was conveyed ahead of his first match in charge of the club who are struggling in the English League.

"I think I'm no better than Frank or Tudor because I consider them very good coaches. I'm just trying to bring my style, character, personality, and strength to achieve our goals, which is currently the most important thing," said De Zerbi as quoted by the club's official website on Saturday, April 11.

The Italian coach will make his debut with Spurs against Sunderland on Sunday (12/5), after being officially appointed on March 31.

Currently, Tottenham are just one point above the relegation zone with seven games left this season.

De Zerbi became Tottenham's third coach this season after Frank and Tudor, where Tudor only lasted 44 days and led in seven matches.

He admitted that he was proud to be trusted to handle the club.

"I'm proud and happy to be here. I have to thank Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange for showing me so much trust," he said.

Tottenham is experiencing a bad performance by not winning in the domestic league throughout 2026, and only recorded two victories since October 26, 2025.

They were also knocked out of the Champions League after losing 5-7 on aggregate to Atletico Madrid in the last 16.

Since 1950, Spurs have only been relegated from the highest class once, namely in the 1977-1978 season. The current situation puts even more pressure on De Zerbi to bring about change soon.

The former Brighton coach considers the opportunity to coach Tottenham as a big opportunity in his career. He also emphasized the importance of understanding the team's problems in limited preparation time.

De Zerbi also highlighted the importance of supporter support and asked his team to perform with the right spirit and attitude on the field.