Igor Tudor, known as a "recovery specialist" head coach, was meant to rescue Tottenham Hotspur from the depths of despair, but it appears he has only sunk Spurs deeper into the nightmare.
After the departure of Thomas Frank in mid-February, Tudor was appointed through the end of the season with a simple remit: stop Spurs from sinking into a true relegation battle and maintain their strong European play.
Instead, they have been sucked towards the vortex at the bottom of the Premier League table under his watch, and they are now in a truly dire situation in the Champions League, having succumbed to a shambolic 5-2 defeat in the first leg of their Round of 16 matchup against Atletico Madrid.
With Tudor's position suddenly in peril not even a month into the job, The Sporting News takes a look at who could take over with the aim of keeping Spurs afloat on multiple fronts to avoid the unfathomable worst-case scenario.
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Next Tottenham manager: Who could take over for Igor Tudor?
With Spurs hoping to play their part in the managerial sweepstakes expected to take place in the coming summer following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Premier League giants are likely looking for another temporary solution so they can look for a more permanent boss once the season wraps up.
Here are five possible solutions to fill the Spurs manager position should Tudor find himself cast adrift.
Ryan Mason
Having served twice previously as Tottenham interim manager, former Spurs midfielder Ryan Mason would be a popular and reasonable choice to herald the club through one of its most difficult periods in modern history.
He took over the club temporarily in both 2021 and 2023, having never managed at senior level before. He was appointed to lead West Brom over the summer but was sacked after seven months in charge with the club sitting 18th in the Championship table.
Given his recent failure with the Baggies, it might be hard to sell Mason as the club's savior, but he's a knowledgeable and recognisable option.
Robbie Keane
Spurs legend Robbie Keane has looked to build a managerial career over the last decade, starting as an assistant coach for the Republic of Ireland national team before stops at Middlesbrough and Leeds United.
Keane finally got his first senior managerial opportunity in 2023 with Maccabi Tel Aviv, but that was cut short for safety reasons after one season. After a year without a job, he signed on with Hungarian club Ferencvaros last summer and saw his contract renewed in December after a successful first season in charge.
It would be a lot to ask Keane to leave a current role to take over Spurs in crisis, but the pull of his former club in true crisis might be too difficult for him to resist.
Roberto De Zerbi
If Tottenham wish to make their move now for a permanent boss, or give someone a true audition for the role, they could pounce for Roberto De Zerbi now.
The Italian is considered a contender for the permanent job but is available now after being sacked around the same time as Frank last month following Marseille's heavy Classique defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
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Appointing De Zerbi now would give the club a top manager on the open market while allowing him to win the permanent role, but after the way his time in France ended, there will be questions about his viability for the job.
Harry Redknapp
Now 79, Harry Redknapp has not managed a club since his short stint at Birmingham City in 2017 and has not been in a Premier League role since departing QPR over a decade ago.
So, would he really be the man to save Tottenham? Having managed the club for four years once upon a time, it's not out of the question they could turn to a familiar face.
He has remained around football as a regular pundit on multiple outlets, but would that leave him with the skills to make a shock return to management in a game that is almost unrecognisable from when he retired?
Mauricio Pochettino
While former Tottenham and current USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino is considered a leading candidate for the managerial role this summer — if they stay up, that is — there's almost no chance the move happens now.
Not only is Pochettino under contract with the United States — a deal that reportedly comes with a ridiculously high buyout for an early exit — he is said to be wanted by multiple top European clubs, leaving him with no incentive to make a decision on his club future now.