28/05/2026

SPORTS THURSDAY | MAY 28, 2026

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‘Pathetic’ Tottenham Neville lambasts Spurs’ season despite final day survival

Ű BY WILL CASTLE

G ARY NEVILLE has given Tottenham no respite from criticism despite their final day Premier League survival as he labelled their season as “pathetic”. Spurs, the ninth richest club in world football, were embroiled in a relegation fight that went right to the wire, but victory over Everton on Sunday ensured they avoided such an almighty humilia tion. There were rare scenes of ecstasy at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after fulltime, with manager Roberto De Zerbi running onto the pitch as the fulltime whistle went, Spurs players and fans alike celebrating the relief that came with their retained top-flight status.

seismic had to change at Spurs. The Lewis family stepped in and authorised a full reset. “As part of that process, we discovered some uncomfortable truths… football success had not been driving our decisions. “Two 17th place finishes in a row is not accept able, and we will not dress it up as anything other than falling well short of what this club expects. “This season fell well short of what Tottenham Hotspur demands. We must be in the fight with the best teams in this League, every season, and we are rebuilding this Club with that standard in mind. We will get back to where we belong.” – The Independent

Wolves. Spurs also experienced a dismal domestic season last term under Ange Postecoglou, again finishing 17th despite success in Europe. Neville has insisted that De Zerbi will need to make sweeping changes if he hopes to change Tottenham’s fortunes next season and return them to the top-end of the table. He added: “For the players, I’m sure for some of them it is real, but for some of them, it doesn’t feel like they want to be on the bus and that’s what Roberto De Zerbi is going to have to work out. He’s probably worked it out already. “Not winning a game here since Christmas is absolutely shocking for a group of players that have been expensively assembled and for a club of such stature, but they’re flimsy, they’re weak, they’re vul nerable and the autopsy really has got to begin. “Now they know for real, having escaped today, they can start to basically drive a bull dozer through that dressing room because that’s what they need to do.” In an open letter to fans, non-executive chairman Peter Charrington said: “Last September, we recognised that something

Neville, however, refused to get carried away with the excitement and asserts that last year’s Europa League champions should not be patting themselves on the back. “Is it too far to say that they’ve been pathetic? That they should be ashamed of themselves? Probably not,” he said on Sky Sports . “This is Tottenham Hotspur. I know sometimes I get mocked for saying this is Manchester United, but this is a football club steeped in incredible traditions. “Now they’ve not won trophies for a long time regularly, even though they won the Europa League last year, which was fantas tic. It was great for this fanbase to celebrate a trophy. “But they’ve been underachievers and underperforming for a long time. This is another level of underachievement and hit ting new lows. The last two years in the Premier League.” Their win over Everton, courtesy of a first half Joao Palhinha goal, was their first at home since beating Brentford in early December, with their form in North London only better than relegated Burnley and

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Spurs’ players in a huddle at halftime during the English Premier League clash against Everton on Sunday. – REUTERSPIC

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De Zerbi plans Brighton raid

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Ű BY MIGUEL DELANEY

despite Antonin Kinsky’s recent heroics, with Verbruggen knowing exactly how he plays. The club meanwhile want to bring in both Van Hecke and Senesi as centreback options. The highly-rated teenager Luka Vuskovic is expected to sign a new deal and then go back on loan to Hamburg, were he hugely impressed this season on the club’s return to the Bundesliga – finishing as the league’s high est-scoring defender with six goals, recording the best duel success rate in the division (69.1%) and being named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season. Micky van de Ven meanwhile wants to stay, to form a strong centre-half line-up key to De Zerbi’s approach. Stones would come under stronger consid eration if any of the main targets fall through but De Zerbi realises the need for that kind of leadership, which is also why Spurs have sus tained interest in Robertson following his emo tional departure from Liverpool. The club have already found that new opportunities have opened up now they’ve secured Premier League safety, which even extends to potential football leadership and executive roles. – The Independent

ROBERTO DE ZERBI is hoping to raid his old club Brighton to charge up Tottenham Hotspur’s rebuild, with Carlos Baleba, Jan Paul van Hecke and Bart Verbruggen at the top of his transfer targets. There is naturally an acceptance they may not get all of those, which is why Spurs are also looking at Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi, Liverpool’s Andy Robertson and Manchester City’s James Trafford. Tottenham are even considering a deal for John Stones in order to bring in some badly needed leadership. The club hierarchy are fully willing to back De Zerbi after negotiations that secured a “Hail Mary” appointment back in April to ultimately keep Tottenham in the Premier League. He naturally wants squad members that can quickly internalise his style, and sees the Brighton trio and “his players”. Baleba is likely to prove the trickiest, given that Brighton want over £100 million (RM520m), and there is competition from Manchester United. De Zerbi is also intent on a new goalkeeper

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