Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville disagree over what Tottenham need in relegation fight
Wayne Rooney has delivered a scathing verdict on Tottenham Hotspur’s struggling squad, while Gary Neville has offered a contrasting view on what the players actually need during the club’s fight against relegation.
It is all to play for at Tottenham Hotspur this season, with relegation looking like a real possibility for the north London club.
Spurs need to start getting wins on the board, with just nine games left before the curtain falls on the 2025/26 Premier League season – already one of the worst in the club’s history.
A trip to Liverpool is never an easy task, but that is the challenge facing Tottenham this weekend as a side short on confidence, following a 5-2 drubbing in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid, looks to turn its season around.
Tottenham players criticised as Wayne Rooney delivers brutal verdict
Speaking on The Overlap, former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney took aim at the Tottenham players, labelling their performances and overall attitude as an “absolute disgrace”.
Rooney was once of the opinion that Spurs would avoid relegation a few weeks ago, but has now changed his opinion following the club’s recent run of results, now expressing his belief that they will be relegated.
He did, however, claim that the Tottenham squad needed a presence like Roy Keane to “batter them” to provoke a reaction in their fight against the drop.
He said: “Those players need to look at themselves, I think they have been an absolute disgrace, I do.
“The performances, the attitude, the lack of desire, the lack of fight, the lack of anything in them.
“I was watching the Palace game last week and I really felt sorry for Tottenham fans. They are not even angry anymore; they are disappointed and sad.
“Them players need to look at themselves, this is a disgrace. I think they need someone to go in, like Roy, and batter them. They need some fear put into them.”
Spurs debate continues as Gary Neville questions Igor Tudor’s approach
Gary Neville, however, disagreed with Rooney’s assessment. The former full-back argued that the approach Rooney suggested is similar to the one being used by Igor Tudor during his interim spell in charge – one that has failed to spark a positive reaction from the Tottenham squad.
Explaining his view on The Overlap, Neville stated that the players would not respond to aggressive management and instead require stronger man-management.
He said: “I am not sure, I am not sure they will respond to that at all. Those players do not give two f**** about being shouted at. Tudor, I think, has given them a bit of a hard time in the public and I do not think they have liked that at all.
“He has tried to go in and be a bit harder, more regimented and disciplined, it is not working, they are rejecting him. They will need someone to go in who has got more of a man-management ability.”
Neville’s assessment is not entirely wrong, at least according to reports that claim Tudor’s style has alienated a few Tottenham players.
Spurs are still aiming to give the Croat time, but it might not be long before they eventually pull the plug should results not improve.
After the Liverpool clash on Sunday, Nottingham Forest are up next – a game that could very much seal Spurs’ Premier League fate.
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