Roberto De Zerbi has banned mobile phones during Tottenham Hotspur's warm-weather training camp in Marbella in an attempt to improve team cohesion. The drastic measure comes with his side rock bottom of the Premier League and still searching for their first win of the season.
Tottenham have mustered just three points from their opening six games, leaving them 20th in the table and 18 points adrift of leaders Manchester City. Their recent form reads DLLDD, with the latest result a 1-1 draw at Manchester United where Dominic Solanke scored a late equaliser. The team has scored only three goals while conceding nine.
Building togetherness
De Zerbi explained the thinking behind the phone ban, which applied to breakfast, lunch and dinner sessions at the Spanish camp. "We worked on the pitch, we stayed together - we removed phones from breakfast, lunch and dinner to stay together because now it is like (being on phones) all the time," the manager said. He described the camp as a chance for the squad to spend concentrated time together after a disjointed pre-season that featured many new signings and players returning from international duty.
The club made 10 new signings in a summer window where they spent over £380 million, an overhaul following a campaign where they narrowly avoided relegation. De Zerbi held several meetings with the playing group during the trip. "We had two or three important meetings speaking about football, our situation and how everyone has to take responsibility," he stated. The manager also confirmed he consulted with club officials Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange, as well as the owner, before organising the camp.
Injury updates and next steps
De Zerbi provided updates on several key players as he prepares his squad for the next challenge. James Maddison, who has been out with a long-term issue, is now available and could start for the first time. "Right now he is ready to start the game, but I don't know if we will start with him," De Zerbi noted, adding that Maddison is a player who can be impactful even in short cameos. Dejan Kulusevski, absent with a serious knee injury, is expected to be on the bench for the upcoming match. Xavi Simons, however, will remain sidelined until the new year.
The immediate focus is Monday's home fixture against Coventry City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It represents a critical opportunity for De Zerbi's side to finally turn their form around and climb off the foot of the standings. The manager emphasised that the camp was about putting the club at the top of everyone's priorities ahead of this key run of games.
Read the full report at Daily Mirror Football
