"Tottenham" fans protest De Zerbi's appointment over Greenwood statements

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust has condemned the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as the club's head coach.

Idman.Biz reports that the reason is his defense of Marseille winger Mason Greenwood after allegations of violence against a girl in 2022. These allegations were subsequently dropped in 2023.

"Whilst we recognise the limited pool of coaches with relevant Premier League experience, and the need for urgent action as Tottenham face the possibility of decline, this appointment raises serious and widespread concerns, and many fans have contacted us to convey the strength of feeling. We raised these issues directly with the club, prior to the appointment being announced.

The club has previously stated a commitment to fighting violence against women and girls, to acting with integrity, and to upholding its values when incidents of this nature occur. De Zerbi's comments about Mason Greenwood were unnecessary, ill-considered and deeply offensive to a large number of fans, and will undoubtedly have distressed victims of male violence.

We believe that these statements will create division amongst supporters at a time when we should all be uniting to support the team. It is troubling that the club has put us in this position at precisely the time when the team needs its fans most.

The club and De Zerbi must openly and unequivocally affirm their support for the club's values. Furthermore, these statements should be supported by concrete action, including visible and sustained support for women's charities and organisations fighting violence against women," the fans said in a statement published on social media by The Touchline.