Tudor takes Tottenham training and immediately sets sights on Arsenal
Igor Tudor was confirmed as Tottenham’s Men’s Head Coach on Saturday, February 14, 2026 (12: 00 ET) and wasted no time stamping his authority on the squad. Granted a work permit, he arrived in London and led his first full training session during the following week, setting an immediate focus on the north London derby.
Hard edge from day one
Tudor addressed the playing group on the first day back after a short break and then ran a demanding session that made clear his priority: intensity. Players were told that hard work in training will be non-negotiable as the club chases improved results and safety in the league.
That new emphasis on physical and mental intensity is a deliberate pivot from what the squad had grown used to. Tudor has been candid about expecting full commitment in every drill and match approach, and early glimpses of his methods suggest there will be little patience for anything less than maximum effort.
Tactical questions ahead of the derby
Tottenham enter the week with a number of selection headaches. Tudor has favoured a back three in recent jobs, but the club’s current centre-back resources are stretched: Cristian Romero is suspended and Kevin Danso is sidelined by injury. Those absences complicate any immediate switch and leave the coach weighing personnel versus preferred structure.
With the north London derby looming, Tudor has only a limited window on the training ground to settle a plan. The pressing task is clear — tighten organisation without sacrificing attacking threat. Expect rigorous defensive patterns in practice and an emphasis on transition work that mirrors the demands of a hostile derby environment.
Why Tottenham hope his short-term record can deliver
Tudor’s CV is built on mid-season turnarounds. From earlier stints where he arrived late in campaigns and produced rapid improvements, his reputation is that of a coach who can stabilise teams and extract quick results. Past club assignments have included spells with several European sides, and those stop-gap appointments often ended with clear, immediate impact.
That pattern explains why the club has entrusted him with a short-term mandate: to bring organisation, intensity and a competitive edge at a decisive stage of the season. While Tudor has sometimes clashed with hierarchy over long-term support and contracts, his immediate brief here is straightforward — arrest the slide, maximise the squad’s quality and finish the campaign strongly.
The coming days will provide the clearest evidence of whether Tudor’s methods can be assimilated fast enough. Training intensity is already up; now the results must follow on matchday. Tottenham’s players and supporters will be watching closely as the new coach prepares his side for the derby and the crucial run-in that follows.
