Inside Spurs

0:08Three managers, 15 defeats and just seven wins. It's been a season to forget for Tottenham Hotspur. Yes, in the next hour, Jamie O 'Hara, Michael Bridge and Kaveh Solhekol will go inside Spurs and will try and answer one simple question. could one of England's big six clubs really start next season in the championship? All the best television series. Season three is better than season two. It was a hard decision from the Tottenham Hotspur board, but they have made that decision and it will be a new head coach. Another new era for Spurs. They've got the person they've wanted and that person is Thomas Frank.

0:51Oh, beautiful drop on the shoulder from Kudis. And what a magnificent goal! The foul! His first ever Premier League goal! Trossar, Everett, it's a terminate hat-trick! Swept in by Skulls and it's bouncing around, it's in! Thomas Frank watches unbewildered and Callum Wilson does what Callum Wilson does. Thomas Frank has been sacked as Tottenham Hotspur head coach agreement reached for Igor Tudor to become the Tottenham Hotspur interim head coach The Kiyosaka Claims Torby Day again In by Williams Forrest soar away from trouble and plunged Spurs right into the mire Igor Tudor has been relieved of his duties with immediate effect.

1:54A deal has been agreed for Roberto De Zerbe to become the new Tottenham head coach.

2:03Yes, Sanj Postacoglu famously said season three is better than series two. Well, there's a new main character for the final seven episodes, Roberto De Zerbe. Now, we've heard from him today, and despite the impending threat of relegation, He insists that he's in it for the long haul. I know it's a tough moment for Tottenham, but I know very well it's a tough moment. It's a difficult moment for everyone of Tottenham. I think we have the right qualities to come out from this moment. We have to play with courage. We have to play with the qualities of the players because if I accepted this challenge, it's because I have a big confidence in the players and the style of the history of Tottenham football is a very clear style of play.

3:03I think it's not the right moment to speak about my philosophy of football. I'm here now at the end of the season because we have to win the game. I love keeping the ball, I love the possession, I love creating a chance and chance to score. But at the same time I love 11 defenders when we have not the ball. I think in this moment we have no time to work too much in more principles, but we have to know what we have to do on the pitch. We have to have a good organization on the pitch with the ball, without the ball. We have to consider the qualities of the players. We are lucky, I am lucky, because I have big players with big talent and my work is to help the players to show their qualities.

4:07For me, Tottenham, especially in this moment, is maybe the most important challenge in my career. I signed five years of contract because for me it's a big challenge and I will be the coach of Tottenham next season. no matter what. So that is the new Spurs head coach's first interview and Kaveh Solakol, I gather you've got some exclusive news about his first day in the role. Yeah, we've managed to get some insight into what happened at Tottenham's training ground today. Our understanding is that De Zerbi made a very good first impression. He met staff at the training ground for the first time.

4:54He took time to talk to as many people as possible and he wanted everybody to know that it was a real honour for him to become the head coach of such a big club. The one key message that he delivered to everybody he spoke to was that he is totally committed to Tottenham Hotspur and leaving the club in the event of them getting relegated this summer has not even crossed his mind. If they do go down, he plans to rebuild and get the club back up as soon as possible. OK, any idea of his plans for tomorrow? Well, he's going to be working with the squad for the first time tomorrow. All the players who've been on international duty are coming back.

5:37I think it's a bonus that they don't have a game this weekend because it gives him more time to work with the players before the really big game away at Sunderland a week on Sunday. He's convinced that in the squad there is the quality to stay up. And I think he sees his key tasks as lifting the mood, working on the players' confidence, telling them that they need to believe in themselves, that they can stay up, and telling them that they need to fight even harder than they've been fighting to make sure they stay up. He's going to be delivering clear messages and instructions. He, I think, believes that there have been too many changes at the club this season, and the players have been confused.

6:22there's uncertainty, there's a lack of structure. And that is why he plans to tell the players tomorrow, going forward, there's one coach, there's one vision, and there's one mission, and that is to keep Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. Jamie, are you liking what you're hearing? Yeah, for me, I think it's a fantastic appointment. I think he's the real deal. I really do. You know, watching him at Brighton, the way he played the game, his teams played, I thought he was absolutely fantastic. Obviously, he'd done a good job at Marseille as well. And, you know, for me, just listening to that interview, I think he knows, he's a realist.

7:00He knows what's at stake. He knows he needs to keep this club up. He's not going to come, people keep saying, oh, he's, you know, the right man at the wrong time. That's nonsense. This guy knows what, he knows he's got seven games to save Spurs' season. Then he can implement his philosophy and he can work on the training ground over six weeks period to get players exactly how he wants, but he knows as well how to get results in the Premier League. We should have got him earlier. I think he's the best manager we could have got at this moment in time. We all sit here and talk about how it would have been nice to have Harry Redknapp and a player of people affiliated to the football club.

7:34He is the best manager we could have got. He's a fantastic manager. I've heard all players coming out talking about how much they loved him. Alright, he's a fiery character, but he's got the character to get us out of this problem. He knows what he's coming into. He knows the players are there to work with who are good enough to play a style of football but he's going to get them organized first seven games he's got a big job to do. Michael what did you make of De Zerbe's first interview with the cockerel on his chest? I found it inspiring I found it commanding and I think that's two things maybe Spurs have lacked this season for one reason or another the supporters and majority of the players didn't maybe completely take to Thomas Frank they didn't really take to Igor Tudor in terms of I think the issue was there was always that feeling he was an interim.

8:20Roberto Di Zerbi's come in and said I am going to be the head coach next season regardless but listening to Roberto Di Zerbi I think deep down he hasn't got he looks at anything so I've got enough here this will be a Premier League team next season I think he's confidence but I think that'll that'll give Tottenham fans some real confidence and a bit of hope because when they left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after that defeat to Nottingham Forest, I heard a few people say, I think that's it. I think that's it. And I have to be honest with you, after everything... We all did. Yeah, but everything what the fans did, pre-match, couldn't have done much more.

8:55They didn't start the game too badly, but their heads dropped the second they conceded that first goal. I don't think we will get that with Roberto De Zerbe. So I go back to the two words, inspiring and commanding. Alright, he's inspired by it, but De Zerbe says he's sticking around, Carvey, but his record suggests that that's not how he is. Do you really think he's here for the long term? Well, he's signed a five-year contract. I'm not saying he's definitely going to stay at Tottenham for five years, but I think he is totally committed for the long haul. He's not an interim appointment. He's made it clear, even if we go down, I'm sticking around.

9:32And I know Tottenham, if you look at the Premier League table, they're not in a good state at the moment. but historically they are one of the top 10 richest clubs in the world. They've got one of the best stadiums in the world. They've got one of the best training grounds in the world. They are financially, okay, not doing very well at the moment but they have massive revenue. It ticks a lot of boxes for the best managers in the world and on top of that, it's a challenge. And I don't think with all due respect to the other jobs he's had that he has had a job as big as this one. Jamie said the best manager Spurs could have got.

10:11Was he the unanimous choice or the only choice? I think he was a unanimous choice of the board. He wasn't the only option. Of course, you know, Tottenham Hospital, like every club, will not just zero in on one candidate. They will have looked at who's available. They considered other names as well, people like Marco Silva. I think they considered as well bringing somebody in for the short term. Somebody like Harry Redknapp has been mentioned. That was a consideration. I'm not saying that it got very far down the line, but it's something that they would have looked at. But as Jamie says, the best person available for the job at the moment is Roberto Di Zerbi.

10:51To begin with, he wasn't sure if he wanted the job. He wanted to take a bit more time out after leaving Marseille. but he's been convinced that this is the right move for him and hearing from him today, you get the feeling that he's convinced that he's made the right decision. Carve just mentioned Harry Redknapp there. We were teased with Harry, weren't we? We were also teased with Tim Sherwood and other people affiliated to Spurs. Why didn't they get the job? I think that was really heartening to be honest with you. It just shows the love certain individuals have still got for the football club that they would do that.

11:24But I think ultimately that Roberto De Serbi was the number one choice. They've got their number one choice. He was the number one choice when Thomas Frank was dismissed in February. But people keep asking, why didn't they do it in February? Roberto de Zerbe had just left Marseille. He wanted to take some time off. Now, the information we had at the time was that time off will be till the summer. But then when you get off the Tottenham job again, Tottenham Hotspur have always attracted top players. They've always attracted big name managers, Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte. And I'm sure when Igor Tudor got the call, he thought, goodness me, Tottenham.

12:00Then you go into it, wow, I've got a problem here. And I'm sure Roberto Di Zerbi is going to see that with the injuries he's got and the squad he's going to inherit. But he's still got good players. But ultimately, over the last few years, Roberto Di Zerbi's name has always been mentioned at Tottenham Hotspur. And we've mentioned Marco Silva, for example. Hypothetically, the Tottenham Hotspur really want to be embroiled with a row with Fulham Football Club right now in April, with seven games to go, back and forth? I don't think so. Jamie, I watch you religiously on Sky Sports FC and I've heard you say you want someone or you wanted someone who knew the club.

12:35But doesn't that just reduce your options if you do that? I think at the time, I wasn't sure that we had many options because the predicament that Spurs were in, when you're looking at it going, who wants this job? You know, it is a job at the minute where you're going, who wants to be on a sinking ship? Because that is what Spurs are right now. They are sinking. and I think to look at the options that we potentially had, you know, go after Marco Silva, you've got to get him out of Fulham, I just don't think managers would have wanted to do it. So then you look at what are the options? Harry Redknapp, Tim Sherwood, Robbie Keane, who's in a good job, but he would have definitely took it if it was right.

13:09But you've got to get them managers, you've got to convince them. Of course, nostalgia, we all sit here and we go, we want someone affiliated, we want someone we can relate to because there's been too many managers have come in who have managed Chelsea and we take them off at the back end of their career and it doesn't work out. We wanted someone who you can relate to. But at the end of the day, them managers, Harry Redknapp, listen, I love Harry. I work with him. He's brilliant. He would have come in and got on board the lads and put his arm around us and he would have had a feel-good factor.

13:39At the end of the day, he's not managed. He's not been a manager for a long time. Tim Sherwood, again, I loved him. Probably would have got a tune out of the players. All them options, I would have gone, yeah, I can see it. I can relate to it. But when you've got a manager like Roberto Di Zerbi and you can convince him to say, yeah, I'll take the job. Well, it's a no-brainer. It's a no-brainer. The Champions League manager, he's done it in the Premier League. He's at the top of his game. If you can convince him to take over when you've got seven games left and you are sinking to the championship and you can get a manager like that in a football club, that's an outstanding appointment in my opinion.

14:13Yeah, well, Di Zerbi is the man they have got. And back in 2023, Pep Guardiola described De Zerbi as one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years. And he described his style as unique. So what are Spurs getting? Let's ask a man who knows exactly how De Zerbi's team plays because he played under him. Neil Mopé joins us now. Neil, great to see you. All right. What does De Zerbi expect from his players? Good evening, guys. Thank you for having me. By the way, it's the second time in a few days. So maybe you want to hire me. I don't know. I'll fold him yeah leave it to me no no I was I was hearing everything you guys were saying and I absolutely agree with Jamie I think it's a fantastic appointment for Tottenham for me I've worked with him and I played against him when he was at Brighton and I think he's fantastic and I got the chance to play almost two seasons for him and everything he does inside the club he's hard to explain in a few minutes but he knows a lot about football and he's in love with football.

15:20He's always looking for options to play to make sure every player is playing in the right position. So for me, it's great. But with that being said, like you guys said also, there's only seven games to go. So I think he'll have to make some compromise because he has no time. He needs to save the club. So that'll be the challenge for him, I guess. Neil, I've got to ask you this question because obviously you are a fiery character. You are a wind-up merchant, but you're a character of the game, right? I'm not just that, mate. Spurs have got them players, right? Big characters, people in the dressing room.

16:02You've worked with De Zerbe. What was he like on a day-to-day basis? What was he like to deal with for you personally, someone who is a character? because them players at Spurs he's going to have to deal with quickly. Yes, he has a big character, I'd say, but with his players, he's almost like a father figure for the players and that's how I felt. And he said it many times for me, like Neil is like my son and that's really how he is with his players. So if the Tottenham players get behind him and follow him, you know it will protect the squad and make sure everyone feel confident enough to play because I think when I look at the Tottenham squad they have enough quality in their squad to stay in the Premier League I think for me there's no debate I think they just need confidence and clarity as well because it looks like the whole season you know with Thomas Frank coming in and then the result they were talking about changing manager, then when Tudor come in, I have a feeling that, you know, it was temporary.

17:12And I think, you know, for the players, I'm talking from the players' perspective, you need a direction to follow, really. And when I hear De Zerbe saying, like, I'm here to stay and I will be there next season as well, I think that sends a strong message to the players and that will help the players to follow him. Neil, you just said then he's going to have to compromise. And he said he's going to compromise in the short term to try and keep Spurs up. But is this a man who does compromise? I guess we'll see because that's a different situation for him. I think he's never been in that situation where, you know, he just needs to win games.

17:58And when he took over Brighton, I think he had time. Marseille, he had a bit of time as well and there is no time he needs to win points and win games because there's only 7 games to go so we'll see but he's a very intelligent guy and you know, from the outside he can seem a bit crazy at times and don't get me wrong, on the sideline he can go crazy but I think he's a smart guy and if he took this job I think he knows what he's doing and I'm sure he will work out for him and for Tottenham. Neil, that's really interesting. You say he can look a bit crazy on the sidelines, but how short is his fuse?

18:41I don't know. I don't know, but one thing, you know, from obviously what I was saying, you know, with Thomas Frank and maybe Trudeau, I felt like sometimes players weren't behind their manager. I've seen clips where Thomas Franco was trying to shake someone's hand and they were ignoring him. And with De Zerbe, that won't work. And it doesn't matter if you're the captain of the team or if you're young players, it will treat you the same. And I think that's something for a squad like Tottenham really important for the players because they know they have to respect him, to work hard and give everything for the team and for him.

19:31Otherwise, you won't play. Simple as that. And I think something a bit more strict that could help them. Neil, you've already answered this, but I want confirmation. Will De Zerbe keep Tottenham up? I don't want Tottenham fans against me, you know. I think they hate me enough. But I personally believe he will keep Tottenham up. And when I said it again, but when I look at the Tottenham squad, they have a lot of good players and quality to stay up. And with De Zerbe, and you guys said it, I think he's one of the top managers. And I do believe that from the inside, because I've worked with him. I believe they will stay in a I think for me that's the challenge for him and for Tottenham because then he'll have a whole pre-season to work his tactic and everything he wants to do for next season and I'm sure if they do stay up next season they will look stronger in the Premier League.

20:39Neil great pleasure to speak to you, thanks for coming on and we'll probably see you in a couple of days Yeah, I'm free anyways I just got against Sunday, but otherwise I'm free. You're on. Cheers, guys. See you. Could this stadium really be hosting championship football next season? We'll examine exactly what that would mean for Spurs, their finances, and whether it would eliminate any chance of a potential takeover.

21:19Hello, I'm Simon Lazenby. Join me and a host of top guests on the F1 show after every round of the 2026 Formula One World Championship. We'll analyse and debate every twist and turn of what's sure to be a memorable season. New regs, new rules, but same show. Listen to our podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts or watch us on the Sky Sports F1 YouTube channel. That's the F1 show from Sky Sports.

21:58All right, let's get to one of the most asked questions surrounding Spurs' current predicament. What would the cost of relegation be to the championship? So tell us, what sort of state are Spurs in at the moment? Well, just a few days ago, Spurs released their latest accounts, which cover last season. And if we have a look at those accounts, you can see that they posted record revenues. So their revenues were up 7 % from£528 million to£565 million. Now, by revenue, that makes them one of the top 10 richest clubs in the world. Match day income at their stadium was up 20 % to£126 million. Only big, big clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, for instance, have higher match day revenue than Tottenham.

22:52What really stands out for me is their commercial revenue. Almost 50 % of the money they make comes from sponsorship deals, merchandising and also stadium events. This incredible new stadium that they've got in London, which is being used for much more than just football games. On the downside, television revenue was down to£127 million, down 23%. That was mostly due to the fact that they had such a poor season in the Premier League. The previous season, they finished fifth. They dropped down to 17th. That means they were getting less TV money. Operating expenses were up 15 percent. That includes staff costs.

23:38Loss for the year, that was£94 million, up from£26 million. and we also have to discuss their net debt which is£831 million. Now that is a huge figure but most of that is tied to the stadium construction. So for instance it's like having a mortgage on your home. All right let's talk about the nightmare scenario. What would it cost Spurs if they go down? I think it's difficult to say but probably somewhere between£200 and£300 million pounds. Now, the reason I say that is because all their main revenue streams would be hit if they were relegated. 49 % of their money comes from commercial activity.

24:24If you're not in the Premier League, the value of your commercial deals is going to go down. Match day income, that would go down from 126 million pounds because you can't charge the same price for championship tickets as you do for Premier League tickets. And broadcast revenue would take a massive hit as well because they wouldn't be getting Premier League TV money, they would be getting EFL money. The one area where they would continue to make money if they were in the championship is from hosting events at their stadium. So for instance, the likes of Beyonce would still be able to play at their stadium because it doesn't matter to her whether they're in the championship or they're in the Premier League.

25:06But they struggled to fit them in because they played more games in the championship. They would have more games, but I'm sure they could find ways around that. If Tyson Fury wanted to carry on fighting there, he could carry on fighting there. For instance, this summer, Bad Bunny, the most streamed artist of last year, who played the halftime show, he's playing at Tottenham Stadium. It makes no difference whatsoever to Bad Bunny, whether Spurs are in the Premier League or in the Championship, unless he's a Spurs fan. I cannot believe you got Bad Bunny twice into this show. All right, relegation.

25:41What would it mean for any possible takeover? Well, look, Tottenham have been the subject of a lot of takeover interest. Obviously, if they were to go down, the price on the club would be less if they were a Championship club compared to a Premier League club. But whenever we're talking about Tottenham and possible takeovers, we should make it clear that the club is not for sale. The present owners, the Joe Lewis Family Trust, say the club is not for sale. They're committed to the club. At the moment, if you talk to people in the city, for instance, they would say Spurs are valued at up to three and a half billion pounds, including debt.

26:23Now, if they were to be relegated, of course, that figure would go down. You also have to remember at the moment, the world economy has taken a big hit because of the Iran war. There's not as much money around as there was. For instance, investors from Saudi Arabia may not be as interested as they were previously in buying a Premier League football club because they've got more important things on their mind. So I think at the moment, talk of a takeover is a non-runner because the owners say the club is not for sale. All right, Kaveh, thank you. All right, next, Eberhechi Eza, Morgan Gibbs-White and others were close to signing for Spurs but didn't and after going elsewhere they then proceeded to score against them.

27:06When we come back we'll examine why Spurs cannot get these deals over the line. See you back inside Spurs in a minute.

27:24Hi there it's Darmes Sheff from the Sunday Supplement podcast. Every week I'll be joined by some of the UK's top sports journalists to go beyond the headlines and unpick the big stories. Catch us every Sunday live on Sky Sports News between 9 and 11am with the podcast dropping as soon as we come off air. So if you don't already, give Sunday Supplement a follow wherever you get your podcasts and I'll see you on Sunday mornings.

27:54Hello again, we are Inside Spurs taking a deep dive into what's been a really miserable season. Well, we're about to go even further back. Frustration, resignation and even volcanic anger in the case of Antonio Conte. Plenty of Spurs managers have been left cursing their luck when it comes to recruitment. Maybe the club need to change my title and description now. It's not in my hands. Raging, you know, you have to be angry, not sad. No. No. No. No. It's time to change the situation if Tottenham want to change. If they want to continue in this way, they can change manager, a lot of manager. That situation cannot change.