'It's Not the Coach!' – Former Spurs Defender Toby Alderweireld Blasts Tottenham Stars, Singling Out Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven

Getty Images | Moataz Elgammal | Apr 18, 2026 03:17+06:00 'The coach isn't the problem!' - Tottenham stars ripped to shreds by Toby Alderweireld Ex-Spurs defender especially critical of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven | Tottenham | C. Romero | M. van de Ven | T. Alderweireld | Premier League Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld has launched a scathing attack on the current squad as the club battles against a shocking Premier League relegation threat. The Belgian insisted the players, rather than the managers, are to blame for the disastrous campaign, singling out Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven while Spurs sit just two points from safety.
Scathing assessment of the squad Alderweireld told ESPN his true thoughts on the crisis engulfing north London. With Tottenham sitting dangerously in 18th place on 30 points, two points behind 17th-placed West Ham, the Belgian did not hold back. He questioned the squad's calibre.
"I think you also need to start looking at pure quality. What do big players do? What do quality players do? That is to be decisive at important moments, achieve your level ... And that has not been happening all season. Players who were acquired for a lot of money but who nevertheless don't deliver—and not in just one or two matches or a period, but throughout the whole season. You just have to conclude that they are not good enough in terms of quality."
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Players urged to take responsibility Spurs have desperately cycled through managers to halt their slide, with Roberto De Zerbi recently arriving as the third boss of the campaign after Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor. However, the former centre-back believes the dressing room must face the music rather than hiding behind the dugout.
"Now you notice that the coach isn't the problem, it's really purely the squad," Alderweireld said. "The quality in the squad, the responsibilities of the players. You could always put another coach in charge, but you notice that they just don't deliver what they need to deliver. And that is ultimately just quality."
Defensive duo face heavy criticism The former Belgium international was particularly stunned by the underperforming defensive partnership of Romero and Van de Ven. As a key figure in the club's past Champions League runs, he knows what it takes to succeed.
"I look at Romero, I look at Van de Ven... They just aren't reaching their level," he said. "Again, not for a period, but actually for an entire season. Then I also look at Romero who gets red cards too often, doesn't make the right decisions and therefore lets his team down."
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What next for struggling Spurs? Looking ahead, Tottenham must urgently address these glaring flaws on the pitch to bridge the two-point gap to safety. With just six games remaining to save their top-flight status, starting against Brighton, the club faces a monumental task. If the players fail to heed this warning, Championship football awaits.