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Tudor, tasked with steering the north London club away from the Premier League relegation zone, has wasted no time in implementing a 'shock-and-awe' regime designed to fix what he perceives as a major fitness deficit. Following a humbling 4-1 defeat to Arsenal in his first game at the helm, Tudor has made it clear that the luxury of comfort is no longer an option for his underperforming stars. Tudor’s philosophy is rooted in high-intensity pressing, a style he believes is currently impossible to execute given the state of the squad. He has been unapologetic about the workload, insisting that the only way out of their current slump is through pure physical exertion.

The former Marseille and Lazio boss has immediately implemented a gruelling fitness regime, prioritising conditioning for a squad he believes has showed signs of physical decline. When questioned on whether he was pushing the players to their limits, Tudor wants Tottenham 'soldiers' to fight and noted that work on the training ground is non-negotiable.

"I put some runs without the ball. Never players like runs without the ball so we put some runs without balls [into the sessions]," Tudor admitted as reported by The Telegraph. "But it’s a moment when there is no time to think too much about what somebody doesn’t like. And the best thing is that they understand this. So they gave me their availability to do these things."

"Physically, I believe, we are not in an amazing situation. They have played lots of games in the last period without lots of players available and it meant the physical condition of the team has dropped down. So we need to use this period where we don’t play the games to put some petrol in the engine, so the engine starts to work better."

With several senior players still sidelined, Tudor is increasingly reliant on the club’s younger contingent. He has challenged these starlets to abandon any excuses and embrace the responsibility of saving Tottenham’s season. "Some players are still young," Tudor noted. "They were brought here to help and now maybe they are in a moment where they need to resolve the problems. So, if you have too many of these players because of the amount of injuries who are playing together in the squad, it does create some problems."

The manager’s message to the academy graduates and young signings is clear: it is time to grow up. "But it is also an opportunity and a challenge to grow fast, to become a man," he added. "To grow fast and say, ‘Come on, I’m the guy, give me the ball, I will score’ instead of just, ‘What can I do, I’m just here you know’. This is the challenge for each of them. Why not? To say, ‘Come on, give me the ball, I will not cry, I will take the ball, I will defend my box’."

Tottenham currently sit in a precarious 16th position in the Premier League table, and the threat of the drop is becoming uncomfortably real for the north London giants. With a trip to Fulham on the horizon, the pressure is mounting on Tudor to find a winning formula. The coach has been bolstered by the return of Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso to training, but he remains coy on which members of the squad have truly bought into his combative and demanding philosophy.

Ultimately, Tudor is searching for a specific mentality to drag Spurs out of their current slump, though he is keeping his evaluations private for now. When asked if he had identified enough "soldiers" within the dressing room to survive the relegation scrap, the Croatian offered a cryptic response. "I will tell you when the season finishes," he said, leaving the players in no doubt that their places and futures are under constant scrutiny as they prepare for a defining run of fixtures.

West Ham revealed their accounts on Friday and announced a staggering loss of £104.2 million ($140m), which is, by far, the biggest loss the club have suffered since their return to the Premier League in 2012. That comes at the same time as a swelling of the wage bill to £176m ($237m) after a summer of investment saw the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Niklas Fullkrug arrive at the club, and within their statement, the Irons warn that relegation would be a "severe scenario", and that player trading may be required in order to make up for losses incurred.

The statement reads: “The Group’s principal business risk remains that of the men’s football club being relegated from the Premier League with the serious financial consequences which follow.

“The Club continues to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules and expects to do so in the future as the new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) rules are introduced in the forthcoming years.”

Per Teamtalk, United are interested in signing Bowen this summer, and the threat of relegation is very real for Nuno Espirito Santo's side. They currently sit 18th in the Premier League table, two points behind Nottingham Forest in 17th. Bowen has a long-term contract that runs until 2030 but it is unclear if there is a relegation release clause in his deal. Spurs have a long-standing interest in signing the player, and they have enquired about him in the past. They face their own relegation battle, though, as they sit 16th, just four points clear of the Hammers. Should they survive, they could potentially launch a move for the winger.

Bowen is, understandably, desperate to avoid relegation to the Championship.

He has told his team-mates: “We’ve all got to continue stepping up, that’s the situation that we find ourselves in. We know outside noise happens and, I think it’s individually, for one, how you deal with that, but certainly as a group we can take criticism from each other and I think it’s an important time to be criticising each other.

“In the situation that we’re in, we need everyone pointing fingers and people to accept that responsibility, which we’re doing. I think we’ve seen a change certainly in the last few weeks.

“It’s not easy, don’t get me wrong. It’s not easy, and that’s not an excuse, because this is where we find ourselves from what we’ve done at the start of the season, so now we have to fight our way out of it, and we’ve certainly got enough, not just talking about quality, but talking about characters and people who are grabbing each other by the scruff of the neck when times are tough.

“It needs to be like that, and that’s certainly a pleasing thing in a changing room, when you can look at your teammate next to you and go, yeah, he’s got my back and I’ve got his back.”

Tudor was in the dugout for the first time as Spurs were thumped once again by their north London rivals. A painful debut defeat at home to rivals Arsenal extended Tottenham's winless league run to nine matches and made it only two wins from their last 18 in the division. The decision to appoint Tudor has not been without its critics, as the club find themselves in a state of flux following the departure of Thomas Frank. The former Juventus boss admitted the role was harder than expected, but believes work on the training ground can turn around the club's fortunes before Sunday's trip across London to Fulham.

Asked if this was his biggest rescue job, Tudor said: "Probably, if I see, if I recognise the difficulties there are, probably, yes. It's even a bigger challenge, even a bigger motivation to do this and we do it."

Despite the grim outlook, Tudor remained defiant, stating: "Probably yes. Yes, very tough, but it's what I said before, I don't change my opinion, it is how it is, so, daily work, focus, raising in all things we need to do, physical condition, mental confidence, performance and waiting for the players to come back. We need to be focused on us, what we can do, less thinking about others, that's always good and it will be good."

Spurs currently sit in 16th place, only four points clear of the drop zone with 11 games remaining. Spurs' Premier League future at stake after a horror run of form over the winter months left the London club flirting with an unthinkable relegation to the Championship. Tudor is determined to block out any external distractions to ensure his squad remains focused on the fight for survival.

"We need to be focused on us, what we can do, less thinking about others, that's always good and it will be good," Tudor said.

Despite their domestic struggles, Spurs will discover their Champions League opponents for the round of 16 on Friday. However, Tudor promised to waste no energy on potential glamour ties with continental heavyweights Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray due to the club's precarious position in the league table. The interim boss is keeping his blinkers on until safety is mathematically secured.

"I don't think too much about the draw. If you ask me whether I expect the draw tomorrow, it won't change for me nothing," Tudor added.

His priority remains clear: getting points on the board in the domestic top flight. The Croatian coach will be boosted by the return of defender Kevin Danso and full-back Pedro Porro for Sunday's crucial fixture at Craven Cottage, providing much-needed depth to a struggling backline.

The returning duo could line-up alongside Micky van de Ven, who has faced criticism this week after a clip on social-media implied the Dutch centre-back had ignored the instructions of Tudor to push up during the loss to Arsenal.

Tudor reiterated his commitment to an aggressive style of play, even if the current squad is struggling to adapt.

"We want to go up because we want to have this style where we press high, but in this moment it's too much for them, so that's why I was a little frustrated on that, but this is part of it," he concluded.

Tottenham decided to part ways with Frank after a defeat to Newcastle United earlier this month, with the north Londoners enduring a woeful run of form since the start of the year. Tudor, who has a reputation for being hired to deal with emergencies, was then handed the reins until the end of the season but got off to a terrible start with a 4-1 loss to Arsenal on Sunday.

Spurs are dealing with a huge injury crisis and also have Cristian Romero unavailable for another two more Premier League games due to suspension. Fears over a potential drop into the Championship have been festering, with the club without a league win in nine matches.

Previously, Heitinga had been brought in to aid Frank as an assistant during the poor run, though many punters thought he could be given the manager's job if his boss were sacked. Instead, his time at Tottenham came to a swift end as Tudor and his backroom staff arrived.

Now, Jansen has revealed Tottenham were keen for Heitinga to remain in his post under the new management, but they decided to leave.

Appearing on the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast, he said: “He was allowed to stay. They even asked him to stay. All other coaches, all Scandinavian, left. And after three weeks, they told him: ‘Please stay and see out your contract here.’ That’s quite an achievement for someone who worked there for three weeks.

“But he said: ‘Yes, but now Igor Tudor, a Croatian coach, is coming with a whole staff for three or four months’. That man is always hired for emergency jobs.

“That almost never works. Why they did that is a mystery to me. And then another coach will come in. So, you can leave twice. That new coach will also come in with 45 people. He said, ‘This is pointless, Rob. I have to leave now’.”

Jansen added: “But there was a chance he would take over; we had that in mind. Only: the club didn’t. After three weeks, they decided it was too soon. So, then you have an interim manager.

“What does the management do, or in this case, the owners, the Lewis family? They opt for some kind of security. They hire someone with a track record, someone known as a crisis manager at struggling clubs for a few months. That saves their image. Unless they dare to continue with Heitinga and a new staff, but they won’t.”

Tottenham will certainly hope their decision to appoint Tudor as their interim boss pays dividends, with their Premier League status at stake during the final months of the season. They have recorded three domestic defeats in a row after losses to Manchester United, Newcastle and most recently Arsenal and points are needed sooner rather than later to steer clear of the bottom three.

Their next two fixtures look particularly vital. First up they visit a Fulham side who most recently saw off Sunderland 3-1 and are six places ahead of them, before Crystal Palace visit Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs then take on Liverpool at Anfield and Nottingham Forest at home before the March international break.

Tottenham also have Champions League commitments to think about. They will face Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray or Juventus in the last 16, having enjoyed a successful league phase campaign as they finished fourth to avoid a knockout stage play-off. However, whether those games will come as a welcome distraction remains to be seen, with domestic survival surely the most important objective for the rest of the campaign.

Tottenham decided to part ways with Frank after a defeat to Newcastle United earlier this month, with the north Londoners enduring a woeful run of form since the start of the year. Tudor, who has a reputation for being hired to deal with emergencies, was then handed the reins until the end of the season but got off to a terrible start with a 4-1 loss to Arsenal on Sunday.

Spurs are dealing with a huge injury crisis and also have Cristian Romero unavailable for another two more Premier League games due to suspension. Fears over a potential drop into the Championship have been festering, with the club without a league win in nine matches.

Previously, Heitinga had been brought in to aid Frank as an assistant during the poor run, though many punters thought he could be given the manager's job if his boss were sacked. Instead, his time at Tottenham came to a swift end as Tudor and his backroom staff arrived.

Now, Jansen has revealed Tottenham were keen for Heitinga to remain in his post under the new management, but they decided to leave.

Appearing on the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast, he said: “He was allowed to stay. They even asked him to stay. All other coaches, all Scandinavian, left. And after three weeks, they told him: ‘Please stay and see out your contract here.’ That’s quite an achievement for someone who worked there for three weeks.

“But he said: ‘Yes, but now Igor Tudor, a Croatian coach, is coming with a whole staff for three or four months’. That man is always hired for emergency jobs.

“That almost never works. Why they did that is a mystery to me. And then another coach will come in. So, you can leave twice. That new coach will also come in with 45 people. He said, ‘This is pointless, Rob. I have to leave now’.”

Jansen added: “But there was a chance he would take over; we had that in mind. Only: the club didn’t. After three weeks, they decided it was too soon. So, then you have an interim manager.

“What does the management do, or in this case, the owners, the Lewis family? They opt for some kind of security. They hire someone with a track record, someone known as a crisis manager at struggling clubs for a few months. That saves their image. Unless they dare to continue with Heitinga and a new staff, but they won’t.”

Tottenham will certainly hope their decision to appoint Tudor as their interim boss pays dividends, with their Premier League status at stake during the final months of the season. They have recorded three domestic defeats in a row after losses to Manchester United, Newcastle and most recently Arsenal and points are needed sooner rather than later to steer clear of the bottom three.

Their next two fixtures look particularly vital. First up they visit a Fulham side who most recently saw off Sunderland 3-1 and are six places ahead of them, before Crystal Palace visit Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs then take on Liverpool at Anfield and Nottingham Forest at home before the March international break.

Tottenham also have Champions League commitments to think about. They will face Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray or Juventus in the last 16, having enjoyed a successful league phase campaign as they finished fourth to avoid a knockout stage play-off. However, whether those games will come as a welcome distraction remains to be seen, with domestic survival surely the most important objective for the rest of the campaign.

Tottenham decided to part ways with Frank after a defeat to Newcastle United earlier this month, with the north Londoners enduring a woeful run of form since the start of the year. Tudor, who has a reputation for being hired to deal with emergencies, was then handed the reins until the end of the season but got off to a terrible start with a 4-1 loss to Arsenal on Sunday.

Spurs are dealing with a huge injury crisis and also have Cristian Romero unavailable for another two more Premier League games due to suspension. Fears over a potential drop into the Championship have been festering, with the club without a league win in nine matches.

Previously, Heitinga had been brought in to aid Frank as an assistant during the poor run, though many punters thought he could be given the manager's job if his boss were sacked. Instead, his time at Tottenham came to a swift end as Tudor and his backroom staff arrived.

Now, Jansen has revealed Tottenham were keen for Heitinga to remain in his post under the new management, but they decided to leave.

Appearing on the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast, he said: “He was allowed to stay. They even asked him to stay. All other coaches, all Scandinavian, left. And after three weeks, they told him: ‘Please stay and see out your contract here.’ That’s quite an achievement for someone who worked there for three weeks.

“But he said: ‘Yes, but now Igor Tudor, a Croatian coach, is coming with a whole staff for three or four months’. That man is always hired for emergency jobs.

“That almost never works. Why they did that is a mystery to me. And then another coach will come in. So, you can leave twice. That new coach will also come in with 45 people. He said, ‘This is pointless, Rob. I have to leave now’.”

Jansen added: “But there was a chance he would take over; we had that in mind. Only: the club didn’t. After three weeks, they decided it was too soon. So, then you have an interim manager.

“What does the management do, or in this case, the owners, the Lewis family? They opt for some kind of security. They hire someone with a track record, someone known as a crisis manager at struggling clubs for a few months. That saves their image. Unless they dare to continue with Heitinga and a new staff, but they won’t.”

Tottenham will certainly hope their decision to appoint Tudor as their interim boss pays dividends, with their Premier League status at stake during the final months of the season. They have recorded three domestic defeats in a row after losses to Manchester United, Newcastle and most recently Arsenal and points are needed sooner rather than later to steer clear of the bottom three.

Their next two fixtures look particularly vital. First up they visit a Fulham side who most recently saw off Sunderland 3-1 and are six places ahead of them, before Crystal Palace visit Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs then take on Liverpool at Anfield and Nottingham Forest at home before the March international break.

Tottenham also have Champions League commitments to think about. They will face Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray or Juventus in the last 16, having enjoyed a successful league phase campaign as they finished fourth to avoid a knockout stage play-off. However, whether those games will come as a welcome distraction remains to be seen, with domestic survival surely the most important objective for the rest of the campaign.

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