New Tottenham interim head coach Igor Tudor says there is 'no time to find excuses' ahead of showdown with Arsenal

Tottenham's official motto "To Dare Is To Do" was echoed in new interim head coach Igor Tudor's first media interview on Tuesday, as the Croatian looks to breathe confidence and restore pride in the badge ahead of this weekend's north London derby against Arsenal. Tudor has called on his new players to "show courage" in the face of adversity after replacing Thomas Frank.

Tottenham's new interim head coach Igor Tudor says "now is not the time to make excuses" as he looks to rectify the club's ailing season with a statement performance and result in his first game in charge against Arsenal on Sunday.

Tudor was appointed until the end of the season, following the sacking of Thomas Frank, who lasted just eight months in the job after replacing Ange Postecoglou.

The 47-year-old Croatian left Italian side Juventus in October 2025 to end a short spell that only began seven months before.

But he is eager to make the perfect first impression with victory in the North London derby in front of his own supporters this weekend.

Arsenal could go into the game seven points clear at the top of the Premier League if they beat Wolves at Molineux on Wednesday night but, speaking to club media on Tuesday, Tudor emitted a sense of calm during his new club's undoubted period of turmoil.

"First priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments," Tudor said. "The team need, I believe, first of all, to get some confidence, to get some courage, but also, in same way, the concrete things in the pitch.

"Of course, I'm coming here knowing that the situation is not easy. There is no time to find excuses. What I said from the first day here, each of us need to give something more, something extra."

Tottenham's turbulent season took another sharp turn last week when the club's board made the decision to part ways with Frank.

The Dane's departure followed a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle, a result that stretched Spurs' winless Premier League run to eight matches and deepened a growing sense of drift.

Now languishing in 16th place - five points clear of the relegation zone - Tottenham will hope Tudor's arrival can spark a revival.

The spectre of title-chasing Arsenal will not allow for a gentle introduction, and Tudor did not shy away from the scale of the challenge.

"The position of the club at this moment is one that nobody can accept," he continued.

"Every Tottenham fan cannot accept the situation. We are aware of that. But it's not enough to just be aware of that. "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."

Tudor arrives acutely aware of both the expectations and the identity of his new club.

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Tottenham’s tradition of expansive, front-foot football remains central to the supporters’ demands - and the former full-back signalled his alignment with that ethos.

"I believe in the style," Tudor said. "The style is more important than the system, of course. So every club has its particularity. That is first as a culture of the club, which kind of football they like.

"So it's always important to think about that, but in the same way, not forget who I am, what I want, what the team can achieve.

"So I need to be, with my staff, very intelligent to find the best possible way in a very short time."

Yet style alone will not solve immediate practical concerns. Injuries have thinned the squad, limiting options and complicating tactical plans.

"The situation is not easy because we have a lot of injured players," he conceded. "We need first to find the best system to suit the players that are available, in this moment.

"Maybe this can sound strange, but I believe that the thing that we need to be focused on is training. So the training from today, that's the key."

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