Tottenham went through three managers last season. Thomas Frank lasted fewer than eight months before being dismissed after a poor start. Interim boss Igor Tudor then departed after 44 days, and Roberto De Zerbi took charge with seven games remaining.
Frank struggled to win over supporters and drew criticism for an overly cautious style. Micky van de Ven expects De Zerbi to improve the team’s play, helped by new signings and a full pre-season to implement his ideas. He says the approach will be more possession-based and attack-minded, making Spurs more enjoyable to watch. According to Van de Ven, De Zerbi has injected energy, passion, and a stronger mentality into a squad that had been flat, and the extended pre-season has helped embed his philosophy.
Earlier this month, Spurs broke their transfer record on consecutive days, signing Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85m and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for £100m. Jan Paul van Hecke, Van de Ven’s Netherlands teammate, arrived from Brighton for £52m, while Marcos Senesi, Andrew Robertson, and Martin Dubravka joined on free transfers.
“The mood in the team is really positive,” Van de Ven said, adding that he has enjoyed working with De Zerbi and that the new arrivals have been excellent and settled quickly.