North London’s Tottenham continues its depth spiral, reaching a new low. The club announced the exit of manager Igor Tudor on Sunday, The Athletic reported.
Tudor’s departure after just seven matches highlights the type of season it has been for the Spurs. After winning the Europa League last year, this season has been rife with obstacles.
At the moment, Tottenham is just above the relegation line in 17th place. However, that could change soon. The Spurs have a one-point lead over West Ham, and could easily fall into relegation territory.
That’s a tough reality for a club that hasn’t managed to gain much traction. Last year, the Spurs finished precisely in 17th spot, seven points ahead of Leicester City.
The last two seasons have been a far cry from the 2023-24 season in which Tottenham finished fifth in the Premier League.
The tough seasons led to coaching changes, with Tudor taking over on Valentine’s Day this season. The club parted ways with Thomas Frank after his disappointing tenure. Unfortunately for the Spurs, Tudor’s tenure was even worse.
The Croatian coach’s only victory leading Tottenham came in the second leg of the Round of 16 in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid. The first leg, however, was a much different story. The match was a disaster, with the Spurs trailing 4-0 after just 22 minutes. The Spurs tried to make the series close, but lost 7-5 on aggregate despite the 3-2 win at home.
No Clear Successor in Sight for Tottenham
As it stands, there is no clear successor for Tottenham. With the club on international break at the moment, there is time to figure out what’s next.
Assistant Bruno Saltor is expected to take over managerial duties. Saltor will be running training sessions for players remaining with the side during the break, The Athletic noted.
Saltor will likely lead the Spurs in their next fixture on April 12 against Sunderland. That situation could change, of course. The club could be looking at a replacement at this point. The hope will be to salvage the Premier League season, especially now that Tottenham is officially out of the Champions League.
With about seven matches to go, the Spurs have an opportunity to climb a couple of spots in the standings. The club is two points behind Nottingham Forest and three behind Leeds. So, climbing out of the relegation threat area is certainly a possibility.
Spurs Have an Eye on Italian Manager
The Athletic also reported that Tottenham had an eye on Italian manager Roberto De Zerbi. De Zerbi was running the show with Marseille, but has since left. He was also the manager for Brighton & Hove Albion.
While De Zerbi could be a realistic possibility, The Athletic reported that De Zerbi would rather join a new club during the summer. If that’s the case, the Spurs may run out the season with Saltor, for instance, as a placeholder until a permanent solution emerges.
The next couple of weeks will be decisive for the Spurs as the threat of relegation is a very real one. Seeing Tottenham drop out of the Premier League would be a shock to fans and the League as a whole.