LONDON (AP) — Newly hired Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi insisted he never meant to “downplay the issue of violence against women” by previously coming out in support of a player who was charged with offenses including attempted rape.
The Italian coach’s arrival at Tottenham on Tuesday on a five-year deal wasn’t taken well by many of the club’s supporters who are unhappy about his past comments about Mason Greenwood, the former Manchester United striker who he coached at Marseille.
Greenwood was charged in October 2022 with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behavior, and assault after images and videos were posted online. British prosecutors dropped the charges in February 2023 owing to a “combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses” and due to “no realistic prospect of conviction.”
During their time together at Marseille, De Zerbi described Greenwood as a “good guy” who “paid dearly for what happened,” adding: “I regret what happened in his life because I know someone different from what’s being described, especially in England.”
That disappointed several Tottenham fan groups, such as Women of the Lane — a Tottenham-affiliated women’s supporters’ group — and the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, who questioned his judgment and values.
In his first interview as Tottenham manager, conducted with the club’s in-house media on Thursday, De Zerbi addressed a question regarding his comments about Greenwood, answering in his native Italian “because I want to be clear.”
“I have never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women or violence against anyone more broadly,” he said. “In my life, I have always stood up for those who are more vulnerable, 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.”
De Zerbi said he hoped that, over time, “people will get to know me better and will understand that at that moment I didn’t meant to take a stance.”
De Zerbi takes over a huge team in English soccer but one that is threatened by relegation, sitting just one point above the bottom three with seven games left.
Tottenham has been an ever-present in England’s top division since 1978.
“I signed five years of contract because, for me, it is a big challenge,” De Zerbi said, “and I will be the coach of Tottenham next season, no matter what.
“It’s a difficult moment for everyone at Tottenham but I think we have the right qualities to come out of this moment.”
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