Every word Roberto De Zerbi said with apology for Mason Greenwood comments and Tottenham future clarity

Here's every single word the new Tottenham Hotspur head coach said in his first interview after signing a five-year deal at the club

Roberto De Zerbi has spoken for the first time as Tottenham head coach and apologised for his Mason Greenwood comments that caused sections of the Spurs fanbase to rally against his appointment.

The Italian signed a five-year deal with the north London club this week to become their fourth head coach in the past nine months, taking over from Igor Tudor, who replaced Thomas Frank, who in turn came in last summer for Ange Postecoglou. De Zerbi's appointment provoked a strong reaction from some in the fanbase because of his comments about controversial former Manchester United striker Greenwood while at Marseille.

Supporter groups Women of the Lane, Proud Lilywhites and Spurs Reach all released statements on the prospect of De Zerbi coming in with a 'No to De Zerbi campaign and the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust also made their feelings on the 46-year-old clear.

It came from him describing his then Marseille forward Greenwood as a "good guy" that had paid a "heavy price" and added: “It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described."

Ex-Manchester United forward Greenwood had been charged in October 2022 with one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm over allegations relating to a young women after images and videos were posted online. The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges in February 2023 owing to a “combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses” and due to “no realistic prospect of conviction”.

Here is the full transcript with every word De Zerbi said in his Spurs interview on Thursday.

How does it feel to be the new head coach?

I'm very happy and very proud to be here. I consider Tottenham one of the most important clubs in the world, so I'm very happy. I have a big responsibility, but it's a big challenge for me, and I'm looking forward to start and to work with the players and to win some games.

I watched a lot of games, especially in the last period. I know very well the players. I love football, so I watch many, many games per week. I know everything. 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 at Tottenham. I think we have the right qualities to come out of this moment.

I believe in the players. I think we have to remember who we are and who the players are, because we have very big players and we have to work on their confidence and qualities. They have to show what they are and what they are good at playing.

On the fixtures ahead....

I think we have to be focused just on the Sunderland game. I don't want to speak about the schedule or the Brighton game or the Wolverhampton game. Game by game, we have to prepare the players to win the game and to be focused just on the game.

We have to play with courage. We have to play with the qualities of the players, because if I accept 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.

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The fans....

The fans in the last seven games, especially in this moment, are crucial. We have to be together. They have to stay close to the players, help the players and the players have to show the right mentality, the right attitude to give back to the fans' satisfaction and what they want to see on the pitch. Because after this part of the season, I think we can become great in the future.

There are fans with concerns about comments you made while coaching at Marseille, is there anything you would like to say to them?

I would like to answer your question in Italian because I want to be clear.

(Translated) I have never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women or violence against anyone more broadly. In my life, I have always stood up for those who are more vulnerable (people from underserved communities/protected characteristics), more fragile, I’ve consistently fought and taken a stand to be on the side of those who are most at risk.

Those of you who know me well, will know that I am not the kind of person who makes compromises to win more games or to win an extra title. I am sorry if I offended anyone's feeling with this subject matter – I have a daughter and I’m very sensitive to these things, and I always have been. I hope that over time people will get to know me better and will understand that at that moment I didn’t mean to take a stance at that time.

What can you tell us about your footballing philosophy?

I think it is not the right moment to speak about my philosophy for football. I am here now at the end of the season because we have to win the games. In football, the style of play and the tactical disposition are important. There is a mentality and I would like to help the player to reach the best mentality we can show.

I signed five years of contract because for me it is a big challenge and I will be the coach of Tottenham next season, no matter what.

I love keeping the ball, I love possession, I love to create chances to score. But at the same time, I love having 11 defenders when we don't have the ball, because in this time of football, we have to attack with 11 players, with the goalkeeper as well. We have to defend with 11 players when the ball is not for us.

I think in this moment, we have no time to work too much on more principles, but we have to know what we have to do on the pitch. We have to have a good organisation 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.

On loving football...

Many times, I've said that football is my life and my life is football., but it is true because football is my work. I respect football because football gave me everything. And for me, it is not real work, it is a passion. If I stay at home, I watch football. If I work, I watch football and nothing changes. Stay at home or to be a coach.

For me, Tottenham, especially in this moment, is maybe the most important challenge in my career. I am ready to start this challenge and I want to work with my characteristics, with my passion, with my vision of football and with my knowledge as well.