Igor Tudor takes charge at Tottenham and immediately targets Arsenal clash
Igor Tudor began work as the club’s new head coach on Saturday and wasted no time setting his sights on the north London derby at the weekend. Appointed until the end of the season on Sat, Feb. 14, 2026 (12: 00 ET), Tudor flew in with his team and led his first training session on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026 (ET), making clear that intensity and urgency will define his short‑term plan.
Hard edge at Hotspur Way as Tudor demands intensity
Players returned from five days off following last Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle and found Tudor waiting. He addressed the squad on Monday afternoon and immediately set a different tone — drills rushed up the tempo, conditioning was prioritised and a no‑nonsense message accompanied the work on the grass. The coach has made it plain that rest and leisurely, tactical walkthroughs will be replaced by sessions that expect full commitment every minute.
Tudor’s arrival brings a clear mandate: stabilise form, tighten organisation and lift performances quickly. He has publicly spoken of energising the group and creating consistency, and training ground reports suggest players have been told the hard work starts now. That clarity comes at a critical moment, with a derby looming and league position under scrutiny.
Tactical questions and personnel headaches ahead of the derby
One immediate puzzle for Tudor is the defensive corps. The squad is short of centre‑backs for the visit of Arsenal; a suspension to a key defender and an injury to another central recruit limit options. Tudor has often favoured a back three in previous jobs, but with available personnel constrained he may be forced to adapt or reshape his defensive plan for Sunday.
Formational flexibility is likely to be a theme. Tudor is pragmatic by nature — willing to alter systems to fit the moment — but he also demands physical and mental intensity from his players. That combination could see a more compact, organised side at the Emirates, prioritising structure and transition. Expect fresh emphasis on pressing triggers, sharper reaction to turnovers and quicker ball circulation to unsettle opponents.
A proven short‑term fixer with a demanding résumé
Though Tudor arrives without prior Premier League experience, his résumé is built on repeated mid‑season interventions. He has a track record of lifting teams under pressure: cup success early in his managerial career, steering relegation-threatened clubs to safety and producing strong finishes when parachuted into difficult situations. Previous spells include stints in Italy, France, Turkey and his native Croatia, where he has repeatedly been asked to steady sinking ships and has delivered immediate improvements.
That pattern explains why the appointment is being framed as a stabilising move. Tudor’s strengths are organisation, intensity and the ability to impose a short‑term identity. The trade‑off historically has been longevity; many of his appointments end after the short mission is complete. For the club, the priority now is clear and immediate: grind out performances and pick up points, starting with the derby.
With a week on the training ground and a high‑stakes fixture at the weekend, Tudor’s early days will be judged by results and visible change in approach. If past patterns hold, he will try to strip back complexity, demand maximum effort and get the team functioning as a unit — fast. The first real barometer arrives on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026 (ET), when the derby provides both an early test and an opportunity to build momentum.
