Tottenham’s managerial situation has taken another dramatic turn, and the debate around whether the club should have waited for Mauricio Pochettino instead of moving for Roberto De Zerbi is only getting louder.
In a discussion shared by Sky Sports via x handle, former striker Charlie Austin did not hold back when assessing Spurs’ current mess, insisting the club is now trapped between short-term survival and a long-term rebuild.
Reacting to Pochettino’s recent comments, Austin said:
“He’s categorically saying they will stay up because of the players that they’ve got. Well, from what we’ve seen so far, the players have not stepped up their game. They’ve underperformed heavily, haven’t they, all season.”
He also pointed to the supporters, making it clear the players can no longer hide behind excuses:
“The fans brought the energy last weekend against Nottingham Forest. You see everything that they’ve done. We’d seen all the pictures and the images on social media. Again, the players let them down. So they need help in these next seven games. The players need all the help they can get because they I don’t think they can do it on their own.”
That frustration became even louder after Tottenham’s shocking 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, a result that left the club looking more fragile than ever. Forest punished them clinically through Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi, despite all the pre-match energy and support around the stadium.
Yet strangely, just a week earlier, Spurs had shown a different side of themselves by fighting back to earn a 1-1 draw away at Liverpool, with Richarlison grabbing a dramatic late equaliser at Anfield after Dominik Szoboszlai had put Liverpool ahead.
Those two results sum up Tottenham’s season perfectly: one minute they look alive, the next they collapse completely.
Austin also questioned whether Spurs should have simply waited for Pochettino rather than rushing into another major appointment. He admitted the decision will be judged brutally if the club goes down, saying:
“If they go down, then the question will be, ‘Why didn’t we just wait?’”
He even suggested that a short-term fix like Tim Sherwood until the end of the season could have made more sense if it meant keeping the door open for a proper reunion later. The biggest issue, though, is that Tottenham are no longer in a position where they can think romantically they need points immediately.
That is why the Roberto De Zerbi move feels so risky. Reports now indicate Tottenham are closing in on appointing the Italian on a five-year contract, a huge commitment for a club sitting just above the relegation zone. Austin acknowledged that such a deal sends a very clear message, saying:
“That is obviously saying, ‘You’re our guy… to take us back to where they belong.’”
But he also made the reality plain:
“The first point of call is to stay in the Premier League.”
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That is the real pressure now. Forget the project talk, forget the long-term promises if Spurs do not survive this season, none of it will matter. Softfootball reported, Tottenham are not just choosing a new manager; they are gambling on the future of the club itself.
