The ex-Premier League and Scotland defender discusses Danny Rohl's impact at Rangers, new Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi and his former club Aston Villa.
Alan Hutton believes new Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi is the right fit for the club, and that his appointment will be a positive one which helps them survive relegation from the Premier League.
Currently just above the relegation zone with only one point separating them and West Ham, Spurs are 6/4 in the Premier League betting to be relegated to the EFL Championship.
In our exclusive interview, the former Premier League and Scotland defender also discusses the impact of Danny Rohl at Rangers, Tottenham’s biggest problem this season and Aston Villa’s chances in the Europa League.
What do you think of the impact Danny Rohl has made since joining Rangers, considering the club were 13 points off the pace when he joined in October?
I think that it’s been brilliant, to be quite honest. To be sitting where they were and as low as they were in the league, and in terms of confidence and results under Russell Martin.
To lift them and probably get the best out of players that were already there. You think all the guys that came in at the start of the season, they looked really low in confidence.
He was really flexible when he first arrived in terms of his formations. He tried different things and allowed everybody to go in and shine in order to build that momentum and that confidence back up.
He built that belief that they could go and do something this season.
Eventually, he understood what they needed to take them to the next level in terms of the January transfer window.
They needed physicality, they needed players with experience that could come in and hit the ground running and make them better, and that’s exactly what they’ve done.
They’ve found themselves one point behind with six games to go, right in the hunt. So, I think he’s done an excellent job.
If he wins the league, is Danny Rohl manager of the year, or does Derek McInnes get the nod for taking Hearts so close at this stage?
I think it might tip the scales if Danny were to go and win the league just because of where they’ve come from to end up there.
But the job Derek McInnes has done has been quite incredible. For Tony Bloom to go in there, the Jamestown analytics, everything that they’ve done in this one season has been brilliant.
They deserve to be at the top of the table, and he is probably my manager of the year at this moment in time, but again, it’ll really depend on where the kind of title lies.
But you look at the season that we’ve had the likes of John McGlynn at Falkirk, he’s done an unbelievable job.
Jens Berthel Askou at Motherwell, unbelievable job. Martin O’Neill coming in and transforming Celtic.
It’s just been an incredible season, so it’s going to be a really difficult one to call.
Since defeating Aberdeen in January, Rangers have dropped points at Hibs, Motherwell and Livingston. With four out of their remaining six games away from home, are you confident Rangers can get back to winnings way on the road?
I think they’re definitely capable. There’s no getting away from that.
I know that those games where Rangers dropped points have all been draws, and it’s not ideal.
That’s the bit that’s been killing them this season, it’s too many draws. They’ve only lost one away from home, and that was against Hearts.
So, I think you can take confidence from it. Yes, they have to be better. They have to be more dominant in away performances.
I think that comes down to a mentality thing. If you can do it at home, you can do it away from home. Dealing with the circumstances is the next step for this team.
Some of the games that they’ve got away from home after the Falkirk game, going into the split, are difficult games.
You’ve got your two biggest rivals away from home that are huge games.
It’s going to be difficult, and then again, you go to Falkirk at the last game of the season, so they’ll know they’re in for a tough test.
But I think they’ve got the players that can do it, and if the manager can keep that belief, that confidence within the team that they have only lost one game away from home, then I’m sure they can step up to the plate.
Looking ahead to the run-in, what chance do you give Rangers – are they favourites?
It’s difficult because, since the split games have come out, you’re trying to kind of dissect it and analyse it and see who’s in the best situation.
You look at Rangers and Hearts, who have three games away from home.
Rangers play their two biggest rivals away, whereas Celtic have more at home with that huge game at the end of the season between Celtic and Hearts.
So, it could go either way. Hearts, of course, are top of the league at this moment, and they deserve to be there.
I still see them as favourites if I’m totally honest. I think the other two teams are capable of winning it. Of course they are.
But I’m just trying to stop myself from getting too carried away here with Rangers.
I do believe Hearts are favourites, but there are three teams definitely in this race, and I think it’ll be an exciting end to the season.
Rangers briefly went top at the weekend, the first time in two years. How big a psychological boost will that have given the squad?
That was a crazy stat. I didn’t even realise it until I heard it was the first time in two years that Rangers have been top of the league.
But I think when you’re chasing for that amount of time, and you finally get to the top, I know it’s only for a day, but it does give you that belief.
Rangers have been chasing for a long time, and they’ve cut the gap right down. They’ve now got above them, and I think it may just put that pressure on Hearts.
I wouldn’t say fear, but it makes Hearts a little bit uneasy knowing that they’re that close.
Any sort of slip-up and another team can jump above them. So, from a Rangers point of view, I think it shows all their hard work has been paying off.
They’re in the right direction and the right frame of mind. It’s just about kicking on now.
Can you limit the mistakes and the drop points from now to the end of the season? If you can, then there’s a trophy to be lifted there.
Are there any similarities between this Rangers team and the teams you played in?
I think it’s a little bit different, in that when you look at it, it was Rangers and Celtic when I was there.
I mean, that was the be-all and end-all. Did you beat their points tally? That’s all it kind of came down to.
Now you’ve got Hearts in the mix, you’ve got other teams that are playing at a high level.
And I look back to, for example, my team. There was a really strong core of Scottish players who were in there. A lot of leaders, and a lot of people that you could lean on, mixed with that kind of little bit of class from different nations.
So, it’s a little bit different. And I think this team has gone through a difficult period in terms of turnover, players, turnover of managers, disappointments, and it’s been difficult for them.
I think coming through the end of that under Danny Rohl and ensuring that they’re competing at the top end gives them a lot of confidence moving forward.
There are a lot of differences between our teams back then and now, but they’re standing up to it at this moment in time, which is all that matters.
Should Rangers offer James Tavernier a new contract to remain at the club next season?
I think so. I believe you have to keep a player like James Tavernier.
I mean, this is a guy who’s been there for 10 plus years. His stats are incredible. Everything that he’s done for the club, and he’s now in the Hall of Fame as well.
I just believe you can’t just let that kind of experience go. I think that’s something that Rangers have missed over the last couple of seasons.
They need guys who have been there, seen it and done it.
Look, he’s getting to an age now where he’s not going to play every game. He probably knows that himself.
But when he does come on the pitch, he makes things happen, especially in forward areas of the pitch.
We know his delivery is excellent, so to have a guy there for another season who brings all this experience, I think, is only going to help whoever they bring in for the upcoming seasons in life after James Tavernier.
Does Tavernier’s legacy at the club hinge on the outcome of this title race? Does he need another league title to be considered a legend?
It’s a difficult question because you’re always going to be judged on the past, and the kind of legends at the club.
When you go through the years, and you see some of the names that are there and what they’ve won in the titles and everything domestically, it’s hard to live up to that.
Don’t get me wrong, I think James Tavernier, as I said before, has come through a difficult period of time in terms of Celtic dominance, Rangers having to come back up through the leagues and everything that’s gone with that.
He’s had to deal with a lot of flak because he is the captain of Rangers, and that can have negative moments, as we’ve seen within his Rangers career.
So, it’s going to be down to the fans who are going to judge that.
Of course, winning titles definitely helps. If he can get this one over the line, it’ll be a massive factor.
Connor Goldson once said Tavernier won’t be appreciated until he’s gone. Do you agree? Do you think he gets the credit he deserves from the Ibrox support?
I think that can be the case. I remember somebody once telling me some of your best games are the ones that you don’t play because maybe something doesn’t go right on the pitch.
You’re then called upon, and you can go and show your talent, so I do understand the reference when you leave.
I mean, James Tavernier’s had so many huge moments domestically and in European football, getting them through single-handedly in ties with his goals and assists.
So, it probably won’t be the case of when he’s not there anymore, and people then sit up and realise genuinely what he’d done for the club was outstanding.
His goals and assists from right-back are like something anybody’s ever seen before, so that might be a factor.
When it does move on, or he retires, whatever he does next, people will remember him doing special things on the pitch.
And it’s maybe just at this moment in time, where not right now, but in previous years, where it may not have gone to plan, that he’s had his doubters, but that’s just football.
That’s what happens, but there’s no questioning the impact he’s had over the years.
And what will his legacy be at Rangers when he eventually does go?
This is going to be a fan’s opinion because he does divide opinion from time to time in terms of what everybody knows it can do going forward.
And like every player, every player’s got their flaws. There’s just no getting away from that.
I think he has to go down as one of the best. He is in the Hall of Fame for a start.
Of course, he’s not won as many trophies as some of the proper legends of Rangers, and that’s just the way it is.
But I think in his era and his time, he’s been a standout player for the club. He’s been a great servant; he’s been there for a long time.
So again, the fans will decide that, but I think he’s been outstanding.
It’s been rumoured Tavernier might switch nationalities to Scotland in time for the World Cup. Do you think that might be a possibility for this summer?
I can’t see it happening now. I think it’s too late.
I think that kind of ship has sailed, if I’m totally honest. I didn’t even think about it, but I know Steve Clarke will be on everything.
He knows everything that’s going on, but with everything that’s happened in the past for Scotland and who they’ve got to choose from at this moment in time, I think we’ll stick to that.
Is Dujon Sterling capable of being his long-term successor? Or are there too many doubts about his robustness given that Tavernier has regularly played 45 to 50 games a season for such a long time?
As a player, he’s definitely capable.
The defensive qualities are there, and you’ve seen that Danny Rohl switches to him in some of the bigger games because, defensively, that’s a key area for him.
I think that’s one of his biggest strengths, even though he doesn’t give you the same going forward.
But when you’ve got the options that Danny Rohl has for the pitch, you might not necessarily need that.
The question mark for me is, is he capable of lasting a full season? Can he play 40 or 50 games like Tavernier did year in and year out?
I’m not so sure. So, that’s the big question mark for me.
It’s up to him to go and prove that, to go and show that, but he always seems to have niggly injuries here or there.
I’m not doubting the talent that he’s got. I think if he can stay fit, then he’ll be the Rangers right back for many years to come.
Do you expect the club to go out and sign another right-back in the summer?
Possibly. In an ideal scenario, I think if you can sign James Tavernier and you can keep Dujon Sterling fit, then I think that’s absolutely perfect for the next season.
And then you look at it for future seasons, of course, but they might have another plan.
They might think that it’s time for James Tavernier to move on. You’ve got Dujon Sterling, and there is the question mark over fitness, and then they might be thinking, we do need to bring someone in.
You see what they’ve done at left back with the signing of Tuur Rommens, who has been a real hit.
So, they might be looking to go down that route, so it’s really going to depend on how Danny Rohl feels at the end of the season and what he needs moving forward.
As a full-back yourself, how important a player like Tuur Rommens might turn out to be for the club?
I think he’s been brilliant. I think he’s been a real hit since signing in January.
It’s something that Rangers needed. I think Jayden Meghoma has struggled at times, partly maybe because of his age.
He was thrown at the deep end, and it was a difficult start to the season.
So, for somebody to come in with experience, and not just that, he plays with real freedom.
I think defensively, he’s good and going forward, he’s more than capable. He’s got a great engine on him, and when he’s in the final third, the biggest thing for me is he’s got composure.
He takes a second, he realises what he needs to do, and he normally picks the right pass.
He’s out for a couple of weeks, and you can see even in the game at the weekend that he was massively missed.
So hopefully he won’t miss too many games, and he can get back to fitness because he’s a real mainstay in the team.
What do you make of the post-split fixtures, especially the 5.30pm clash against Hearts at Tynecastle on Bank Holiday Monday?
I was looking at that fixture, and I don’t mind it. I think on the Saturday it’s the bottom six, and then Sunday you’ve got Celtic, who are in Edinburgh playing Hibs, and those teams are never going to play on the same day.
So, I understand why it’s now Monday, but in terms of how it looks and the optics of it, yeah, of course, it’s difficult because Celtic play the day before.
It’s one of the main rivals that you’re away to, so it’s going to be a really difficult game, but I’m not too bothered about it in terms of how it’s panned out.
Celtic, possibly, the way the fixtures run, might look a little bit easier for them in terms of three home games, but you still have to go and win them home or away.
It’s top six. Everybody’s going to cause you problems, and it’s who can deal with that the best.
Do you think Tottenham fans can be happy with Roberto De Zerbi’s appointment? Is it a big risk considering the situation they’re in?
I think it would be a risk if you tried to implement the whole thing instantly.
Look, this guy, he’s a clever guy, he knows what he’s talking about, and you know what he wants and what he demands from his players.
So, I think it will be. Can he simplify it? Can he get little nuggets of information to the players to get what he likes?
I think that out of possession and in possession has to be much better.
There’s no doubt that they’ve got a talented squad, and injuries have had a massive part to play as well.
But if he can get those key parts right, then I think they will get out of it.
So it’s all about the short term, winning games one game at a time. Sunderland is going to be very difficult, but if you can get everybody buying into it, then you give yourself a chance.
You can see that he’s very hands-on, he’s enthusiastic, and in the training sessions, he’s energetic.
It’s everything that you want to see; this is what players feed off of, so from what I’ve seen so far looks positive, but I can’t imagine we will see the style of play that he actually wants.
But he’s signed for five years, so he’s got time to implement that. I just don’t think it will happen in a matter of weeks.
Sassuolo, Brighton, then Marseille – do you think his time with OM has him prepared for a club like Spurs?
I think it will definitely help being at a club of that stature. You look at the expectations of that club, the pressures that you’re under to hit the heights, and the fans will let you know if you haven’t.
I was looking it up; he’s got one of the best win rates in terms of Marseille managers.
It’s not quite worked out the way he’d want in terms of the Champions League, but he’s had that experience as well.
Then you look at Brighton, he knows the Premier League, he knows the demands of it, and he knows what Tottenham are like as a club.
So, I think this all helps him transition and move into being the Spurs manager. Of course, there’s going to be expectations of him getting out of this situation, but it’s what he does after that.
They see themselves as a top four, top five club. He needs to get them back there playing a certain way that the fans are happy with.
Do you think De Zerbi will keep them up?
I’ve just got that feeling that he’ll keep them up. I don’t know what it is. I don’t know if it’s just what I’ve seen so far of him in his other roles and from the small samples we’ve seen of his personality.
Of course, I know he’s a good manager. I’ve seen what he’s capable of at Brighton in the Premier League.
But just when I sit there, I watch the clips of the training. I just see how hands-on he is and what he’s like as a guy.
You read all the comments from ex-players that he’s coached before and how highly they speak of him.
I think it’s all good signs, it’s all positive, but ultimately, it’s going to come down to the games and if the players can adapt and adapt quickly.
I mean, that’s going to determine how it looks for Roberto De Zerbi. We can sit here and say how good a manager he is, but can he implement a style right now that keeps Spurs out of trouble?
But I think that they’ve got enough to get out of it.
Who would have been your first choice for the manager position?
It’s a difficult one to say who for definite, but the big one for me was Mauricio Pochettino.
I understand that he’s in a big job right now and looking towards the World Cup with a host nation, so I totally get that side of it.
But I just mean in an ideal world, if you could pick somebody, then I think he’s a guy that related really well with the fans, the hierarchy, and the players.
He probably had a little bit of unfinished business when he left, so if they could have gotten him back, I thought that could have possibly worked.
But short-term fixes, I mean, I’ve been there with the likes of Harry Redknapp. Could he have gone in and put confidence into the players and probably got something out of them?
I believe he could have because he’s that type of guy. So, it really depends on whether you’re looking for that short-term fix for the last seven games or you’re looking longer term.
I think to get De Zerbi, who is someone who knows the Premier League and will be aware of how big a club Tottenham are probably fits in terms of the style and profile of the next manager.
Looking at the long-term, I think they’ve made a good appointment there.
Could the club recover if they do get relegated?
It’s so difficult, and it’s difficult for me to think about that happening with Tottenham.
I’ve been there with Aston Villa, and we had a really poor season in terms of the Premier League, but in our minds, we recruited well, and we’ve done everything that you possibly could do, but we just found it difficult.
Playing every midweek, the grind of playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday really does take it out of you.
In your mind, we’re good enough to go up, but it’s an absolute dog fight. It’s so difficult to really get back up the first time of asking.
So, it really comes down to who they could hold on to. I’ve seen it with my own eyes that the top players leave, and then it’s who do you get in to replace these guys?
It can be very difficult. If they were to keep the squad that they’ve got, which is very doubtful, by the way, but if they were to, then of course they come straight back up.
You look at the likes of Newcastle, they had a really strong team when they went down, and managed to get back up.
So, it can be done, but it would really be a question of who stays and who goes.
What have you made of the tension between the fans and the players this season?
I’ve seen it when obviously Villa were having a really difficult time the year we went down because it was really hard for the fans.
The expectations of a big club can cause these tensions. They’ve seen their team for their whole lives, and they want to see them at the top end of the table, but everything’s going wrong on the pitch.
At that moment in time, when you’re sliding down the table, and they’re paying their money to watch, then they’re going to let you know how they’re feeling.
I totally understand that. The other side is, I believe, as a player, you need to take it on the chin, and the way to turn that round is by showing them on the pitch and playing a high standard.
As difficult as it would be, you have to show something. You have to show fight and determination to get the team out of it. If you don’t, they’ll let you know.
So, everything that’s coming out, that’s the fighting with the fans, the back and forth, the Instagram messages, it all just doesn’t help.
I think you’re better off staying quiet, working hard and showing them that you care, and the way you do that is your performances on the pitch.
What has been the main problem at Spurs?
Listen, it’s difficult to put your finger on it. They’ve spent money, they’ve spent a lot of money, so there’s no excuse for a lack of backing in the transfer window.
I don’t think everyone has hit the ground running the way they’ve wanted. Yes, they’ve brought in some young players who look good for the future, but not enough of them have stepped up to the plate.
The home form is a real worry; they’ve moved into this fantastic stadium, and they’ve won two games there in the league all season.
The home form doesn’t help, and the confidence seems to have just hit the floor, and I think as a collective, the confidence isn’t there at this moment in time.
I mean, I look at the squad, that’s a good squad if everybody’s fit, and in my opinion, it shouldn’t be where it’s at.
But I just think there are several reasons for the current issues. The turnover of managers, the different playing styles, the turnover in players, and not necessarily recruitment being where it should be for a club like Tottenham, considering the amount they’ve spent.
I think they try to get value by spreading the money around where they might just need two or three players at that next level to take them into that kind of top four and challenge up there.
So, there’s a whole host of things, but I think it needs stability and needs galvanising at this moment in time.
Is De Zerbi the man to do that? We’ll find out, but I think that’s what they need. Somebody who’s going to be there for many seasons that can actually build, and while they’re building, win games of football.
If they can do that, they can turn around
What do you think of Christian Romero and his father talking about wanting to leave with the club staring at relegation?
I don’t like it. I can only put myself in the shoes of when I was playing, if my dad was coming out and saying stuff about my contract details and how I was feeling to the press, I wouldn’t have it.
I would have shut down instantly. That’s just a no-go. You just don’t speak about those sorts of things, especially conversations that might have been behind closed doors, and especially when Tottenham are in this situation.
These conversations should be kept behind closed doors, so I really don’t like what I’ve seen in recent weeks.
This is a moment where you have to come together as a unit, as a group, and as a club to fight and get out of this situation.
Those sorts of things will be dealt with at the end of the season, and I don’t know whether it’s maybe a foreign thing or maybe they’re used to being like that in their own country, where you can speak about these things?
I can’t comment on that, but I just feel that your captain and vice-captain, I’m wondering, are they doing it because they’re trying to show that they care?
In terms of Micky Van De Ven, when he’s arguing with fans or whatever, I just don’t believe that’s the right way.
I think you have to come together, block out the outside noise that you can, and don’t make it worse.
Don’t add fuel to the fire by telling them about your contract situation and that you might leave in the summer.
Just work hard and show them that you care. Give 100% on the pitch every single week, and if you lose games of football doing that, the fans can normally forgive you, but it’s when it doesn’t look that way that it starts to become very difficult.
So, as the leaders of the club, you need to keep everything in-house, not allow it to get out.
Does it put other clubs off signing these players when they look at the outside noise being caused at Tottenham?
I would still expect them to find clubs. I think for me, Van de Ven, when he’s at his best is an incredibly talented player.
The pace that he’s got and the physical attributes. He’s good on the ball, and I think he takes a lot of boxes for potential suiters.
Romero, on the other hand, for me is a bit 50/50. If you’re talking about 50 to 70 million pounds to be released from his contract, I think it’s a lot of money.
He’s a guy who can be very rash at times. Look, he’s won one of the highest prizes in football, and I understand all that, but I think from a leadership situation, I think he has to be better.
But if teams go down, there are always other clubs that are looking to pick off the best players.
It just always happens, so if that were the case, I hope it’s not, but if it were the case, I’m sure there’ll be other teams looking.
What do you make of the job that Unai Emery has done at Aston Villa?
He’s been outstanding again, and Villa are having a good season.
From where he’d taken over a club that was struggling in 17th, and then to get European football season after season, as well as growing the club, has been quite incredible.
The expectation was always there with Aston Villa, even when I was there, we weren’t obviously hitting those heights, but the fans are very demanding.
For any manager to come in and make this transformation deserves a lot of credit.
What helps is that he’s on everything. He runs that football club like a manager in the olden days.
He’s got a lot of power within there, but it’s working. All the players are buying into it, and they’re playing at a high level.
I think recruitment at times has been very good. It’s obviously a difficult situation for them at this moment in time, in terms of spending, and I think a lot of clubs are feeling that, but to get what he’s getting out of the squad, I think it has been incredible.
They’re a team that all the other clubs fear in terms of where they are at this moment in time and the European stature that they’ve got.
So, it’s been brilliant to have Emery at the club, and hopefully he stays for a long time.
With his record in the Europa League, can Villa fans start to get excited and are they amongst the favourites for that trophy?
I think so. I think they have to be because they’ve had a really good campaign so far, but you can never go and say they should be winning with no problems because some big teams in there can cause a lot of problems.
I just feel with the manager that they’ve got and the squad that they’ve got that they’re the favourites.
They play away to Bologna first, and if they can get through that tie, then they’ve got a massive opportunity.
I just feel the confidence will be flowing from last year in the Champions League and the Conference League the year before.
I think that the rise has been steady but very good in terms of getting confidence from the different competitions.
So, Villa at this moment in time, I think they’re in a really good place.
Do you think Villa win finish in the top 5 and win the Europa League?
I don’t know what Unai Emery is thinking, but part of me thinks the bread and butter is the league, and they will want to finish in the top five.
Maybe some time ago, he would have prioritised one over the other, but I don’t see that now.
I think they’re capable of competing on both fronts and going with strong teams for both competitions.
They’re that close to the end now, I think you just have to give it your all. Every player will want to play in every game.
They’ll be up for it, and the manager’s record speaks for itself. He loves this competition, and he wants to win it with Aston Villa.
