Tudor’s Six-Week Struggle Pushes Spurs Towards Relegation Battle
Igor Tudor has left Tottenham Hotspur after just 43 days in charge. He replaced Thomas Frank with a brief mandate to improve performances and climb the Premier League table. The club depart with Tudor in 17th place, one point above the relegation zone and seven games left to play.
Why Tudor arrived
Sporting director Johan Lange said Tudor impressed during interviews on Feb. 20. Lange pointed to Tudor’s record of improving teams midseason. Tudor had previously boosted points-per-game at Udinese (twice), Hellas Verona, Lazio and Juventus.
Training, staff and early signals
Tudor increased training intensity to try to lift fitness. His trusted assistant, Ivan Javorcic, never joined the club due to work-permit issues. Tudor publicly dismissed talk of relegation and said he was “100% convinced” the team would survive.
Results and pivotal matches
Tudor did not record a Premier League win in his spell in charge. His first match was a 4-1 home defeat to Arsenal. A 2-1 loss at Fulham followed, then a defeat at home to Crystal Palace on March 5.
In the Champions League round of 16, Tudor replaced Guglielmo Vicario with Antonín Kinsky for the trip to Atlético Madrid. Kinsky made errors and was substituted after 17 minutes—the earliest goalkeeper substitution in a knockout tie in the competition. Spurs lost 5-2 in Madrid.
Tottenham drew 1-1 at Liverpool thanks to a late Richarlison strike. The squad had 13 players unavailable through injury for that match. Four days after Anfield, Spurs beat Atlético 3-2 at home but exited the tie 7-5 on aggregate.
Back in the Premier League, the club lost 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest. Igor Jesus scored just before halftime during that game, which came after a concerted push to rally fans and the squad.
Tactics and squad challenges
Tudor switched between a back three and a back four while searching for a solution. He even deployed Pedro Porro as a right-sided centre back in one match. Sources told Filmogaz.com that Tudor quickly developed doubts about the character and mentality of parts of the squad.
Guglielmo Vicario had faced jeers late in Thomas Frank’s reign. Tudor’s decision to bench him for the Atletico trip divided opinion inside the dressing room.
Club context and reaction
Since the start of last season, Tottenham have lost 46 matches across all competitions. The club won the UEFA Europa League under Ange Postecoglou, but domestic form deteriorated in the second half of the following campaign. Fans have expressed anger and apathy toward ownership and direction.
Sources told Filmogaz.com that Tottenham are pursuing Roberto De Zerbi as the next head coach. De Zerbi is reportedly open to joining only at season’s end and only if Spurs remain in the Premier League. The club is reportedly trying to persuade him to take the job immediately to stabilise the situation.
Personal and organisational fallout
Tudor was informed of his father Mario’s death after the Nottingham Forest game. He was placed on compassionate leave before both parties agreed to part ways on Sunday. The departures raise questions for Johan Lange and CEO Vinai Venkatesham over recruitment and strategy.
Tudor’s six-week struggle has helped deepen the crisis at Spurs. The club now faces a tense run-in as it fights to avoid a relegation battle. The next managerial decision will be critical for the club’s immediate future.
