igor tudor: 'No time for excuses' as Tottenham search for urgent turnaround
Igor Tudor has been appointed Tottenham's interim head coach until the end of the season and warned there is "no time to find excuses" as he faces the immediate task of halting a damaging Premier League slide. With the club 16th in the table, five points above the relegation zone and just 12 league matches remaining, Tudor plans to focus on restoring confidence, sharpening training and finding systems that suit an injury-hit squad.
Clear mandate: stabilise performances and rebuild confidence
Tudor arrives with a succinct brief: improve results, bring organisation and inject intensity. He made clear that he understands the gravity of the situation and that awareness alone will not be enough. "The position of the club in this moment is one that nobody can accept, " he said, adding that every fan expects better. Restoring belief in the dressing room is the immediate priority — both mentally and tactically.
Faced with a long list of absentees, Tudor emphasised the importance of tailoring a system to the players available rather than forcing a preferred formation. He said training will be central to his approach: finding the right match plans, instilling courage and giving players concrete tasks they can execute on the pitch. The new coach has also signalled he will ask everyone to give "something extra" as the club seeks short-term uplift in results and consistency in performance.
Pressure, injuries and a testing fixture list
Tottenham's current plight is stark. The team endured an eight-match winless run that precipitated the previous manager's departure after a 2-1 home loss to Newcastle. Injuries have compounded the problem, with more than ten senior players sidelined, forcing Tudor to balance pragmatic selection choices with the club's expectation of attractive football.
His first match in charge is a high-profile London derby at home to Arsenal on 22 February 2026, a fixture that will be an immediate litmus test of whether his methods can arrest the slide. The calendar offers little respite: the Premier League run-in is coupled with a Champions League knockout phase that recommences in March, meaning Tudor must juggle domestic survival concerns with continental commitments in a compressed period.
Experience and the short-term mission
Tudor brings a résumé of managing across Europe, and he has a track record of stepping into mid-season roles and delivering rapid improvements. He stressed the importance of club culture and said style remains important, but that style must be married to the practical reality of the current squad. "The coach needs to show the path, where is the way we want to go, how we want to go, and the players need to accept this, " he said.
For now, the task is concrete: stabilise league form, maximise the resources available, and lift morale. With less than three months of the campaign remaining, every training session and match will be scrutinised. Tudor has asked for time to implement his ideas, but he made clear there will be little patience for excuses — immediate improvement is the expectation from the board, the dressing room and the supporters.
The coming weeks will reveal whether the combination of tactical tweaks, renewed focus in training and a mental reset can deliver the quick results Tottenham need to climb away from danger while balancing their European commitments.
