/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/03/13/image-9351caf9-da1f-467d-b1c8-e7084dba7ce8-85-2560-1440.jpeg "Spurs problems can't be blamed on 'black magic or other bulls***' - Tudor - TNT Sports")
Igor Tudor had some strong words for his Tottenham Hotspur players before Sunday's game against Liverpool at Anfield. The relegation-threatened club's interim head coach said they could "cry or fight" in a press conference in which he also revealed goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky's reaction to being taken off in a UEFA Champions League fixture against Atletico Madrid after just 17 minutes.
Igor Tudor says Tottenham Hotspur’s problems cannot be blamed on "black magic" or "other bulls***" as he challenged his players to lift the club away from the Premier League’s relegation zone.
Tudor has overseen four successive losses since succeeding Thomas Frank as head coach on a contract until the end of the season.
Things went from bad to worse on Tuesday night when goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was hauled off against Atletico Madrid in the 17th minute after his team conceded three early goals. Tudor’s side went on to lose the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie 5-2.
Spurs, last relegated from the top flight in 1977, are just one point above the Premier League’s relegation zone before Sunday’s game against champions Liverpool at Anfield.
And Tudor had a message for his players at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
"What I always like to say to the players is, 'Don’t be a victim, don’t think it’s not about me,'" Tudor said.
"That can be the problem more than all of these things about Tottenham, the club, you know, like magic on the club, like black magic and this, and the other bulls***, you know.
"So this is about what I want to send as a message."
Tudor also said that the players can "cry or fight" as he addressed the situation that he and his team find themselves in.
He said: "Not an easy situation, not an easy moment. [It's a] big challenge to change things.
"Like everything in life, you can choose how to see the situation. You can cry or you can fight. You can be the victim or you can change something. This is the message I communicated to the players.
"The bottle is either half empty or half full. Here, there is nothing full, there are a lot of empty things.
"But difficult moments don't last forever. It will pass. I believe the players who take this as an opportunity, who stand up with the courage to change these things, will become better people and players afterwards."
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Spurs, who won the Europa League last season when Ange Postecoglou was in charge, have not won a Premier League game in 2026.
What Tudor said about Kinsky
Tudor was asked if Kinsky, 22, would play for the club again this season.
"He will play, for sure," said Tudor. "He came back the day after, and was very good and positive in training. Nothing else. This is probably the first and last time that this happened in my life, and the life of a lot of people.
"It is the same message that I had before. You can go out and be the victim. Everyone was sending messages of help, and 'I am with you', and this is nice also.
"He will for sure in his career make other mistakes but I think he has the strength and quality in front of him to have a very good career."
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