For some, this was a predictable outcome.
Igor Tudor has failed to see out his short-term contract at Tottenham Hotspur, lasting just seven games and 44 days in north London before his departure was confirmed by the club on Sunday.
The Croat replaced the mightily unpopular Thomas Frank with Spurs five points clear of the drop, and enjoying the buffer of several teams below them in the table. He departs after claiming just a single Premier League point with the Lilywhites sunk further into the mire.
Now, just a point separates the Europa League holders from an apocalyptic fate.
The decision-makers in north London donât yet know which direction to turn, but Tudorâs position was deemed untenable after last weekâs 3â0 defeat to a direct relegation rival, Nottingham Forest.
Whomever they opt to replace the mourning Croat has the unenviable task of keeping a club that perceives itself to be capable of breaking bread with Europeâs elite in the top flight. Hereâs what Tottenham must do to avoid the drop after letting go of their interim manager.
Tudor arrived in N17 with plenty of sceptics, and those who claimed the 47-year-old was destined to fail because he âdoesnât know our game!â, the English one, that is, will undoubtedly be lapping up a grand sense of vindication right now.
And while the issues at Tottenham transcend merely the figure on the touchline, the club would be wise to acknowledge the error they made in appointing Tudor.
They trusted a recommendation of ex-sporting director Fabio Paratici, and believed the immediate impact Tudor has made elsewhere, not just in Italy, but in France with Marseille, too, would be felt in north London.
But it wasnât to be. Tudorâs failure wasnât solely down to a lack of Premier League nous, but given the situation Spurs are in, itâd seem wise to appoint a coach with either intimate knowledge of the club itself, or their current predicament.
They shouldnât panic themselves into bringing forward the appointment of their next âprojectâ manager. Instead, they would be better advised to run it back with Ryan Mason or try to tempt Robbie Keane over from Ferencváros. Swallowing your pride and trusting Sean Dyche, who got Everton out of the mire in 2022â23, wouldnât be the worst idea either.
Now is not the time for Adi Hütter to enjoy his first experience of the English top flight.
Thomas Frank sapped the life out of a squad that entered 2025â26 riding a wave of momentum after that glorious night in the Europa League final.
The Daneâs soccer was turgid and bereft of courage, with Tudor constantly hinting throughout his brief reign that his players needed to shed their âbad habitsâ to stop the rot. The interim was unable to overcome all of Frankâs bad, and the next incumbent will surely struggle to facilitate a complete overhaul.
While there were at least positive moments under Tudor, most notably against Liverpool and Atlético Madrid (when everyone had the correct footwear) this remains a broken Tottenham squad without reliable leadership.
There was a sense that Tudorâs no-nonsense style wasnât ideal for the vulnerable Lilywhites, who instead need some tender loving care. Harry Redknapp wouldâve been the ideal solution 10 years ago, but the venerated former manager has been out of the game since 2017, and is more concerned with horses and reality television than soccer, even if heâd love to take the job on.
This is a talented enough group of players to stay up; thereâs no doubt about that, but theyâve got to swiftly rediscover their love for a sport thatâs been merciless to them as of late. Empowerment is key for the next manager. Spurs wonât low-block and grind their way to safety.
Thereâs a feeling pervading through factions of the Tottenham fanbase that some of the playing staff regard themselves as above the current peril. Reports claim that some players have explicitly expressed as much in the dressing room. A perceived lack of care has seen previous fan favorites widely slandered.
Micky van de Ven is among those to come under heavy scrutiny, with the Dutchmanâs form falling off a cliff in 2026 after enjoying a stellar autumn. Van de Ven took offense to such claims, and laughed off the idea that any of the players had downed tools, knowing theyâd be able to move on in the event of an unfathomable relegation anyway.
It certainly wasnât a motivation issue last week against Forest. Tudor shouldâve started Xavi Simons after his excellent performance against Atléti, and was made to pay for panicking at halftime with a double substitution. In the end, Spursâ poor technical base was exposed by a stubborn Forest defense that had few issues containing the hosts in the second half.
This is a gifted squad, but an obviously imperfect one. Those regarded as the most talented have let their teammates down at times this season, including the revered pair of center backs, and no one should be deemed above the law when it comes to team selection for seven cup finals down the stretch.
Those who have floundered donât deserve the chance to enjoy late-season salvation, especially once more players return from injury. Those who have offered blood, sweat and tears to the cause as of late, like Archie Gray and Mathys Tel, must be cherished. Itâs these figures whoâll help Tottenham survive.
Tottenham havenât won a Premier League game since Mohammed Kudus succumbed to a thigh injury at the start of 2026. Itâd be an understatement to suggest the Ghanaianâs absence has been keenly felt, especially with dazzling playmakers James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski yet to play a single minute this season.
Frankâs Spurs boasted little else by way of attacking innovation other than giving the ball to the really good soccer player down the right-hand side. Kudus was all Frank had during his miserable reign, with the Lilywhites almost exclusively dependent on the summer arrivalâs ability to resist pressure and beat a man to create any openings in the final third.
The decision not to add an attacker to their ranks in the winter, having sold Brennan Johnson and lost Kudus to injury, was mind-boggling, and has contributed to their demise.
On the bright side, Kudus is on the comeback trail and potentially in contention for Tottenhamâs next game against Sunderland on April 12. Soon, Spurs will be able to give the ball to the really good soccer player down the right-hand side again.
Things should be O.K. as a result.
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