Tottenham CEO Vinai Venkatesham admitted that the club took a risk by appointing Igor Tudor as manager.
Tottenham Hotspur chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has revealed that the club attempted to appoint Roberto De Zerbi on a permanent basis following the sacking of Thomas Frank in February, only to be frustrated when it became clear the Italian was not available at that point, forcing them into the interim market that ultimately produced the ill-fated Igor Tudor appointment.
The admission adds crucial context to one of the most chaotic managerial episodes in the club’s modern history and confirms what many had suspected, that Tudor was never the preferred choice but rather the best available option in a market that offered very limited alternatives. Venkatesham said (h/t Chris Cowlin on X):
“Obviously, we were very disappointed when it became clear that we wouldn’t be appointing Roberto on a permanent basis in February,” Venkatesham said. “We were then in the interim market, which is generally not the broadest.”
The CEO was candid about the reasoning behind Tudor’s selection and equally candid about acknowledging it did not work. He continued:
“There were a number of reasons why Igor was selected. He had managed in very high-profile and high-pressure environments. We didn’t want somebody that was going to wilt under that pressure. He has a history of making an immediate impact. He has managed in big clubs. He has quite a different personality to Thomas and we felt like something different was needed. But of course we were really aware he had no Premier League experience. Was it a risk in appointing him? Absolutely.”
Tudor departed Tottenham after just 44 days
Tudor’s tenure produced one point from five Premier League matches before he departed by mutual consent after 44 days, making him the fourth shortest managerial reign in Premier League history. His time at the club was marked by a dressing room fractured by his treatment of players, a 5-2 Champions League humiliation in Madrid, and a squad that visibly disintegrated under his management.
Venkatesham’s decision to acknowledge the gamble openly and accept it did not pay off is a departure from the kind of corporate language that has sometimes characterised communications from Tottenham’s leadership. The CEO concluded:
“It didn’t work out. I think it’s very clear it didn’t work out. And I don’t think that is in question. I don’t think anybody would argue anything else.”
The silver lining of that failed February pursuit is that De Zerbi eventually arrived in late March and proceeded to collect seven points from his last seven Premier League games to secure survival. The right man was always identified. Getting him through the door simply took longer than anyone at the club would have wanted.