Tottenham Hotspur’s boardroom is once again the scene of urgent discussions as the club’s hierarchy weighs up the precarious position of interim head coach Igor Tudor and decide whether to fire him after just four games at the helm – and we understand the trigger could be pulled if the club manages to land on an instant replacement.
With the team mired in a dire slump and teetering just one point above the Premier League relegation zone, sources indicate that senior figures, including former chairman Daniel Levy, are scrutinising replacement options while exercising caution to avoid yet another hasty managerial upheaval in the wake of the club’s most barren run of form in their 143-year history.
Tudor stepped into the role in mid-February 2026, following the abrupt dismissal of Thomas Frank after only eight months in charge. Tasked with steadying the ship and hauling Tottenham away from the drop, the Croatian has instead presided over a harrowing sequence of results.
Zero league victories in 2026, coupled with a staggering 14 goals conceded across his opening four fixtures, have deepened the crisis.
The nadir came in the Champions League last-16 first leg against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, where Tottenham suffered a humiliating 5-2 defeat, shipping three goals inside the opening 15 minutes – a record low for any side in the competition’s knockout stages.
Tensions within the squad have also boiled over, particularly regarding Tudor’s handling of young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.
The 22-year-old Czech, signed from Slavia Prague in January 2025, was handed a surprise start and his Champions League debut ahead of established number one Guglielmo Vicario.
But Kinsky endured a nightmare, committing two glaring errors that directly contributed to Atletico’s early onslaught. Tudor responded by substituting him after just 17 minutes, a decision he later defended as necessary to protect the player, but it has provoked widespread backlash.
DON’T MISS: Fuming Tottenham fans suggest 16 names to take charge after ‘anyone but him’ demand over Igor Tudor
Igor Tudor sack: Tottenham pushing for new interim manager
However, we understand that all is not well in the camp and several first-team players are said to be incensed by the treatment of the young Czech, viewing the decision to start him and the early hook as unnecessarily harsh and damaging to confidence.
Indeed, in the wake of his 17th-minute substitution, both Conor Gallagher and Joao Palhinha ran up to console their teammate, who was clearly hurting in the wake of his humiliation.
A post-game tweet from former Manchester United star David De Gea showed unity with the star, but also underlined the precarious situation that Tudor had largely been responsible for.
Prominent pundits, including former goalkeepers Joe Hart and Peter Schmeichel, have lambasted the move as potentially career-harming for the youngster, with Hart describing Tudor’s post-substitution demeanour as lacking basic empathy.
Sources suggest a senior squad member even challenged the manager directly after the match, underscoring broader discontent with his intense methods and rotation policy.
As a result, the Spurs hierarchy are in a panic but ready to let Tudor go, mindful of the instability that has characterised recent seasons.
Yet with pivotal fixtures looming – including clashes against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest before the international break – patience is wearing thin.
Conversation swirls around potential successors, from short-term fixes like club legend Robbie Keane to more established names such as Roberto De Zerbi or a possible Mauricio Pochettino return.
Indeed, my colleague, Graeme Bailey, revealed in the aftermath of Tuesday’s defeat that Keane remains the club’s first choice to step in if they can persuade him to leave Ferencvaros.
“Robbie Keane has been spoken to, but he is also a top target for Crystal Palace and has been linked to Celtic, heading into the summer.
“Spurs are considering all options, and we understand a host of agents and intermediaries have contacted them about potential replacements. But Keane is very much a preferred option.”
Other options to come in include Sean Dyche and former Spurs midfielder Ryan Mason, who has served as caretaker manager twice before.
Latest Tottenham news: Tudor unsure on future; Pochettino hopes fade
Meanwhile, Tudor had an alarming response when asked if he was the right man to lead Spurs through their crisis, though the 47-year-old did admit he was fully aware of the gravity of their situation and refused to accept that saving them from the drop was an impossible task.
In the wake of Tuesday’s loss at the Wanda Metropolitano, a series of pundits have demanded ENIC sack the 47-year-old NOW ‘before it’s too late’ and with latest shambles proof the club are ‘only heading one way’ – towards the Championship.
With regards a long-term successor, Spurs number one choice for the role, Mauricio Pochettino, is now in danger of being whisked away to an elite European side after he emerged as the top pick for an ambitious president.
In a further blow, another option for Spurs in the permanent manager’s role has now alsomade his ambitions to take charge at Manchester United instead.