Tottenham Supporters’ Trust Expresses ‘serious Concerns’ Over De Zerbi’s Support For Greenwood

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust has powerfully criticised the assignment of Roberto De Zerbi arsenic nan club’s caput coach, expressing “serious and far-reaching concerns” complete his past support for Mason Greenwood.

In a connection released soon aft De Zerbi signed a five-year statement connected Tuesday, nan Trust said his presence placed a “heavy strain” connected unity astatine a clip erstwhile Spurs are battling against relegation from nan Premier League. It besides called connected Spurs and nan Italian to publically reassert their “commitment to nan values that fans clasp beloved – main among them equality, respect, and integrity”.

The disapproval centres connected De Zerbi’s spell astatine Marseille, wherever he publically supported Greenwood’s signing contempt contention surrounding nan erstwhile Manchester United player’s backstage life. Greenwood was charged successful 2022 pinch attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and battle occasioning existent bodily harm. The Crown Prosecution Service discontinued nan case successful February 2023 aft cardinal witnesses withdrew their engagement and “new worldly came to light”. Greenwood had denied nan charges.

After leaving United, Greenwood had a spell connected indebtedness astatine nan Spanish broadside Getafe earlier joining Marseille connected a imperishable woody successful 2024 nether De Zerbi.

De Zerbi described nan erstwhile England guardant arsenic a “good person” and said that “it saddens maine what happened to him because I cognize a very different personification from nan 1 portrayed successful England”.

Those remarks person been condemned by protagonist groups including Proud Lilywhites – nan club’s LGBTQI+ supporters’ relation – and Women of nan Laine. The Trust said it had contacted Spurs to sound guidance to De Zerbi earlier he was appointed.

“While we recognise nan constricted excavation of managers pinch caller Premier League experience, and nan request to enactment pinch urgency arsenic Spurs look nan imaginable of relegation, this assignment raises superior and far-reaching concerns, and galore fans person been successful touch pinch america to impulse america to pass nan spot of feeling,” nan Trust said. “De Zerbi’s comments astir Mason Greenwood were unnecessary, ill-judged, and profoundly violative to a important number of supporters and, without doubt, will person near victims of antheral unit alarmed.

“We judge these statements, near unchecked, will create a disagreement among supporters astatine a clip erstwhile we each request to beryllium pulling together to backmost nan team. It is concerning that nan nine would put america successful this position correct erstwhile nan squad needs fans nan most. Fans are rallying down nan ‘All Together, Always’ initiative, and this assignment places dense strain connected that unity. If those remarks bespeak his genuine views, they formed a troubling protector complete nan values of nan nine we love.”

The Trust added that immoderate perceived sympathy towards alleged perpetrators of beingness aliases intersexual unit against women “fundamentally undermines spot successful nan custodianship of this club”.

“With this appointment, communications from nan nine and from Mr De Zerbi must intelligibly and unequivocally reaffirm these values. Furthermore, those words must beryllium backed by meaningful action, including visible and sustained support for women’s charities and organisations moving to combat unit against women.”

Tottenham person been contacted for comment.