Roberto de Zerbi's Tottenham Hotspur has a distinctly Brescian feel, and it's not just because of the Italian city's famous old club's recent bankruptcy. The manager who saved Spurs from relegation last season has a deep connection to Brescia, where his father, Alfredo, was president of the supporters' clubs.
De Zerbi was "born an ultra" after his father, a passionate and fiery character, passed on his love for football to him. The Italian manager told Salim Lamrani in his book Football According to Roberto de Zerbi that his father was a leader of the Brescia tifoseria and took care of everything related to the club. De Zerbi's brother, Rocco, echoed this sentiment, saying "Roberto's love for Brescia shaped his career."
The connection between Tottenham and Brescia runs deeper, with Sandro Tonali, the club's new record signing, having played for Le Rondinelle as a youth player. Tonali told BBC Sport that he and De Zerbi shared a bond over their love for Brescia, despite only meeting a few times. The midfielder also spoke about the difficult situation facing Brescia Calcio, the club that developed him, which was excluded from professional football by Italian authorities last summer.
Brescia Calcio's financial problems led to their exclusion from professional football, but a new team, Union Brescia, has taken on the mantle of the city's club and plays at the same iconic ground. Tonali and his wife were present to watch Union Brescia in the Serie C play-offs earlier this year, but the club ultimately lost to Ascoli in the final. Brescia Calcio was due a percentage of Tonali's transfer fee, around £3.5m, under FIFA's solidarity contribution scheme.
De Zerbi's love for Brescia is not just a nostalgic attachment; it has shaped his managerial principles and values. His father, Alfredo, was a working-class man who instilled in his son the importance of solidarity and generosity. De Zerbi's brother, Rocco, said that he has preserved the principles of his parents and has never renounced his social origins.
De Zerbi's time at Brescia has had a lasting impact on his career. He played for the club on loan in 2008 and got his first taste for coaching in the city, helping a friend coach youngsters. The adversity his family faced in the economic crisis of the early '90s also shaped his principles, and he remains "true to the ideals of his youth and to his working-class roots," according to Lamrani.
The Brescia connection is still evident in De Zerbi's actions, as seen when he performed the famous Brescia 'V' sign towards the away end during Marseille's Champions League match against Atalanta last season. George Boxall, author of FADA! A Season in Marseille, recalled this moment, highlighting De Zerbi's attachment to his Brescian roots.
As Brescia and their fans embark on a new era, the passion and footballing ethos De Zerbi learned through his father and those visits to Stadio Mario Rigamonti remain. The question now is whether this connection will have any impact on Tottenham's future, particularly with the club's new record signing, Sandro Tonali, being a product of the same system that De Zerbi grew up in.
Source: Yahoo Sports