Tottenham Hotspur’s decision to hire Igor Tudor has been criticised by Stephen Warnock.
The former defender recently labelled the appointment as a mistake, suggesting that Spurs would not be in the position they are had Roberto De Zerbi been the man to replace Thomas Frank back in February.
It has been a dismal season for the Lilywhites, who are in serious danger of relegation if they do not continue to pick up points.
De Zerbi would win for the first time at the helm last Saturday, as his side beat Wolves 1-0 at Molineux, though the North London club remain bang in trouble.
And while the decision to appoint Tudor is an obvious error, Warnock is only halfway there in his verdict, with the major managerial blunder made last summer.
MORE SPURS STORIES
📋 NEXT TOTTENHAM MANAGER HUB 📋
Breaking: Tracking the managerial candidates, latest odds and Spurs boardroom decisions.
Get 24/7 updates from your definitive Lilywhites source
Thomas Frank appointment is the big problem for Tottenham
Just under a year ago, Tottenham’s trophy drought finally ended as they lifted the Europa League under the guidance of Ange Postecoglou.
The Australian would soon lose his job after a disappointing 17th-place finish, and while it was deemed as the correct decision at the time, the move for Brentford boss Frank turned out to be disastrous.
Losing 15 matches in charge, the Dane would lose his job in February with Tottenham slipping ever closer towards danger – something that was not resurrected by the incoming Tudor, who lasted just seven matches.
Guiding Brentford to the Premier League and having the Bees punch above their weight, Frank had gained a reputation as an adaptable coach who gets the best out of the profiles in his squad.
Though this was far from the case at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with a squad used to playing front-footed football now often looking like the underdogs, no matter the opponent.
Across his spell, Spurs had a higher xG than their opponents in just 15 matches, while 52 per cent of the total xG of 44.35 came in matches against Doncaster, Premier League sides in the drop zone, or newly promoted sides.
Tottenham squad did not suit Frank
As has been the case for many years in North London, the mismanagement of the club saw a manager arrive who was just simply not able to get the best out of those at his disposal.
A squad put together for the fast-paced football of Postecoglou was not going into games looking to play a much more defensive style, while the attackers had little to no freedom.
And even as Spurs looked to become more solid under Frank, this just simply didn’t happen, with the expected goals against tally sitting at 1.45 per 90 – slightly better than the 1.69 recorded under Postecoglou, but it must be considered that the Dane had his entire defence fit and ready, unlike his predecessor.
However, all this does once again is point in the direction of more haphazard management at the club.
Since Mauricio Pochettino’s 2019 departure, Spurs have changed ideologies with each and every appointment.
All of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo, Antonio Conte, Postecoglou and Frank since all look to deploy incredibly different styles of play – resulting in a squad stuck between multiple styles, while being a master of none.
Warnock is right in the sense that De Zerbi could have dragged Tottenham out of this mess earlier, but the problems of the term go back to last summer – as has been the case for too long at the club.
Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Tottenham Hotspur News Access
Get the full story from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Hotspur Way with our dedicated expert hubs:
Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from N17 and Hotspur Way.