Tottenham Hotspur's decision to embark on an early-season team-bonding trip to Marbella has been backed by former Premier League manager Tony Pulis, who insists head coach Roberto De Zerbi urgently needed time away to gel his heavily altered squad. Following a disappointing start to the campaign, Spurs travelled to southern Spain for a warm-weather camp designed to accelerate integration after a summer window in which the club spent over £250m to recruit 10 new players for De Zerbi, with several arriving late in the transfer period.
Pulis noted that while eyebrows were raised regarding the timing of an excursion so early in the season, the getaway provided an ideal opportunity for De Zerbi to instill his philosophy. The former Stoke City boss highlighted that De Zerbi, cut from Italian cloth, likely utilised morning and afternoon sessions to drill his players on team shape and direction. Crucially, the trip also offered the manager a chance to observe the distinct personalities within the group away from the pitch and determine how the players interact as a collective unit.
Reflecting on team-building methods, Pulis compared the Spanish retreat to his own managerial tenures, including taking Stoke to Austria for 10-day camps and subjecting squads to demanding military-style boot camps in Exmouth that featured underwater tunnel swimming. Pulis contrasted today's first-class travel, luxurious facilities, and large backroom entourages with his early playing days running on Blackpool beach and socializing in pubs, pointing out that despite modern distractions such as mobile phones, the fundamental need for dressing-room togetherness and understanding individual character remains identical.
The value of the warm-weather training camp will face its first examination on Monday night, when Tottenham take on Coventry. If the days spent in Marbella have delivered the intended impact, De Zerbi will enter the fixture with a thorough understanding of each player's strengths and weaknesses, both on and off the field, as Spurs look to overcome their sluggish opening weeks and build long-term momentum.