De Zerbi says Spurs players need a 'father' rather than a coach after losing first game

[p]The Italian took over from interim boss Igor Tudor at the end of last month and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tottenham/UDg08Ohm/"]Spurs[/a] started his first match at the helm in the Premier League drop zone after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-ham/Cxq57r8g/"]West Ham[/a] beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wolves/j3Azpf5d/"]Wolves[/a] on Friday.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/sunderland-WSzc94ws/tottenham-UDg08Ohm/summary/stats/?mid=pxlmliDE"]Their defeat[/a], courtesy of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mukiele-nordi/MoObMvb7/"]Nordi Mukiele[/a]'s heavily deflected strike in the second half, left them two points behind the Hammers with just six games to go.[/p][p]Sorry Spurs have not won a Premier League game since late December and are facing a huge battle to avoid their first relegation since 1977.[/p][p]But former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brighton/2XrRecc3/"]Brighton[/a] and Marseille boss [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-zerbi-roberto/pYizckpN/"]De Zerbi[/a] - the London club's third manager of a shocking season - said a win would change the mood.[/p][p][b]"We have to work on one win because with one win we can change everything this season," [/b]he told Sky Sports.[/p][embed guid="4e0bd980-fbe8-4b32-8a0a-54bf6f987039" url="https://x.com/SpursOfficial/status/2043376567598903631" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"I have 24 hours per day and it is not a problem of time. We created chances in the first half, the same we have done in the week.[/b][/p][p][b]"The players have great quality but we have to believe more in ourselves and the crucial part is to win one game.[/b][/p][p][b]"We can play much better than today but after five or six training games it is difficult. All together we have to stay focused to win one game."[/b][/p][embed guid="e1d6ef7d-0783-4943-9910-a2d23f1dc1a7" url="https://x.com/Flashscorecom/status/2043344133356507275" social-type="twitter" /][p]Tottenham face Brighton next week, with a game against bottom club Wolves to follow but it is difficult to see where their next win is going to come from.[/p][p]De Zerbi said his new team, who have lost half of their 32 league matches this season, had the quality but were suffering a crisis of confidence.[/p][p][b]"I can be a big brother, father, they don't need a coach," [/b]he told the BBC. [b]"They don't need to improve football. They can play better and they will play better once we reach a different level of confidence."[/b][/p]