Danish boss Thomas Frank was sacked earlier this week after eight months in the job, with Tottenham just five points above the relegation zone. The hunt is now on for his replacement, with reports suggesting that Spurs plan to name an experienced head coach as an interim manager for the remainder of the season, before making a long-term appointment in the summer. Although, they are expected to consider the interim boss for the permanent role should he perform.
The name now reportedly leading the list is former Juventus manager Igor Tudor. Tottenham are thought to have verbally agreed a deal to appoint Tudor as interim head coach until the end of the season. The 47-year-old Croatian was sacked as Juve boss in October last year after just 24 games in charge. He has also had previous stints at Lazio, Marseille, and Hellas Verona but has never lasted more than 48 matches in charge in any of his jobs. With expert insight from Italy, we bring you more on the potential new Spurs boss.
What kind of manager is Igor Tudor?
Stefano Buonfino is one of Transfermarkt's Content Managers in Italy and tells us more about the kind fo football Tudor likes to play: "Tudor plays aggressive football with a strong focus on defence and ball possession. He favours counter-attacks or quick direct moves. A three-man defence is almost mandatory with him." He arrived at Juventus last summer, but with plenty of scepticism, as Buonfino explains: "His reputation is still being built. Before arriving at Juve, few fans were happy with him. Those who defended him did so more because he was part of the club's history and because of his mentality, but many wondered if he was up to the task of managing a big club, and him being sacked shortly after confirmed those doubts."
So why has he not lasted very long in either of his four management jobs so far? "Sometimes he preferred not to stay, as at Lazio or Verona, in search of better options," admits Buonfino. "Other times, he was unable to solve the problems in the environment and ended up failing. He has yet to find a project that can give him continuity. Even at Juve, he was confirmed in the summer because they were unable to get Antonio Conte, who remained at Napoli, but clearly they did not fully believe in him.
"At Tottenham, he finds a team that has already been accustomed to a three-man defence in the past, but he also finds a club in a mess. With his sergeant-like mentality, he could immediately make an impact on the environment, but perhaps a more experienced coach would be needed at Spurs, given the situation that is falling apart. However, it is certainly an excellent opportunity for him, but he has yet to prove that he can successfully coach a top team."