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The last remnants of a talent cycle collided with managerial upheaval, the search for a new direction, suspect recruitment calls, a crippling fixture schedule.

Injuries took hold and a fragile defence leaked goals. A terrible run of results invited a crisis of confidence and Tottenham Hotspur sank into trouble, creating, in the words of one player, ‘a dressing room malaise’.

All of which sounds eerily like this miserable Spurs campaign in a nutshell, but this is the relegation season of 1976-77, as retold to Daily Mail Sport by those who were there.

It was an era of flowing locks and sideburns. When stars went by nicknames like ‘Meathook’ and showboated on muddy pitches to a soundtrack of disco and punk as London decked its streets with Silver Jubilee bunting.

For the start of a story that ended in tears at Maine Road, it might be best to rewind to September 1974, when legendary boss Bill Nicholson, disillusioned with the game he loved, stepped down.

Nicholson's replacement was Terry Neill from Hull City, and Spurs flirted with relegation and only escaped by a point by beating Leeds in the final game of the 1974-75 season.

They improved to finish ninth a year later before Neill was lured away by Arsenal - the club that gave him his senior debut as a player, and 275 appearances in all - and his coach Keith Burkinshaw was promoted after a poll among all the Spurs squad.

It was drawn up on a sheet of paper with a line down the middle with everyone asked to sign ‘for’ or ‘against’ the idea.

Burkinshaw too can count himself a Spurs legend, having led the club to win the FA Cup twice and the 1984 UEFA Cup, but his rookie season was anything but plain sailing.

Gerry Armstrong recalls the injuries above all else and attributes them to an incredible post-season tour in April 1976, when the team circled the globe to play nine games.

This was a great era of expansion for football. Spurs flew straight after the final league game to play three days later in Canada against Toronto Metros-Croatia, who had Eusebio up front. From Toronto they flew to Fiji via California and Hawaii, then played twice in New Zealand and five times in Australia. Nine games in total in 26 days, and then home via India and Italy.

'The Fiji team was full of rugby players,' recalls former Northern Ireland centre forward Armstrong. 'New Zealand and the Aussies were very competitive, very physical. Very few rules. But we won all the games.

'It was a great tour. Great for camaraderie and going to places you might never get to. We went to watch Jaws at the cinema in Australia, and nobody would go in the sea after that. Great for us younger players. I was rooming with Glenn Hoddle and we got a chance to show what we could do. But everybody was shattered by the end and the injuries came straight after.'

Several players went on international duty before a short break and the return for pre-season training and another tour in West Germany. 'We didn’t start the season well and never picked up,' says Armstrong.

Spurs, everyone agreed, were too good to go down, but clearly in a decline, something midfielder John Pratt traces back to Neill - who impressed as a young boss at Hull and with Northern Ireland, and once installed at White Hart Lane began dismantling Nicholson’s team only to quit inside two years - answering a call from Highbury.

'Terry was great for me but I’m not sure he was great for the club,' says Pratt, a veteran of 415 appearances in 15 years at Spurs. 'People called him a traitor but if I was managing another team, whoever it was, I’d have left them for Tottenham the same as he left us for Arsenal.

'Terry got rid of all the senior players. He thought Martin Peters had gone as a midfielder, so he sold him to Norwich. Martin went there and played at the back for another five years and he was their Player of the Year for the first two. Sometimes there’s no substitute for experience.'

England World Cup winner Peters left Spurs in 1975, as did Mike England, for Seattle Sounders, and Joe Kinnear and Phil Beal, who both joined Brighton. Cyril Knowles retired a year later. Martin Chivers moved to Servette in Switzerland after the world tour.

'Time wears on,' says Terry Naylor, who spent 11 years at Spurs from 1969, affectionately known as ‘Meathook’ as he worked as a porter at Smithfield market before turning pro. 'The hard part was replacing them.'

'We lost 5-0 at Derby when (former Spurs captain) Dave Mackay was in their team and afterwards John Pratt says to Dave, "How come you left Spurs then, Dave?" and he says, "Because I weren’t good enough for them anymore".

'That says it all, really. Dave Mackay was still a man mountain for most people. If you want to be at the top, you need the cream. That was the team I went into. Full of world-class players. What they could do with a ball and the way they saw and played the game was beautiful. You become part of that machine, and you become better with better players.'

Spurs had been in Division One since 1950, crowned champions for the first time in 1951. Nicholson was appointed in 1958 and led them to eight major trophies in 16 years.

In 1961, they were the first team in the 20th century to win the League and FA Cup Double. They won the FA Cup again a year later and the European Cup Winners’ Cup a year after that, the first English team to win a trophy in Europe. They added another FA Cup in 1967, two League Cups and the UEFA Cup in 1972.

'We were spoiled,' says Naylor. 'And looking back, we signed players who just weren’t the quality of those going out, but you don’t know that until you’ve put them to the test.

'I’m not going to have a pop at anyone. I felt sorry for those coming in. How do you replace those people? You can’t blame them. They gave their all. Probably like the boys now.'

Steve Perryman, Ralph Coates and Pat Jennings were surviving stalwarts of more successful times, and exciting young players were emerging, including Hoddle and Armstrong.

Neill’s signings included John Duncan from Dundee, Don McAllister from Bolton and Willie Young from Aberdeen. In the summer of '76, Burkinshaw signed, among others, Ian Moores from Stoke, John Gorman from Carlisle and Peter Taylor from Crystal Palace.

Taylor’s debut was a 4-2 defeat at West Bromwich Albion. His second was an 8-2 shellacking at Derby, where Mackay was manager. 'Keith went round the whole changing room after the game with what we didn’t do well,' recalls Taylor. 'We probably let everyone down.'

Another inquest followed on Monday. They won 1-0 at Birmingham next time out, but the trend was set. They leaked three at Everton and five at West Ham.

Alfie Conn was the last player signed by Nicholson. He came from Rangers, a flamboyant midfielder with distinctive long hair and shirt untucked, and soon became a darling of the fans. Not least for his sizzling display against Leeds when Spurs had to win to avoid relegation in April 1975.

In White Hart Lane folklore, it will always be the day Conn sat down on the ball during the game.

'Leeds were a top team, and going to play the European Cup final,' says Naylor. 'We needed to win to stay up. We know they’re in the final and they know we know they’re in the final.

'So, we’re going along nicely and we’re 3-1 up when Alfie sat on the ball. Billy Bremner came marching over to me and says, "Hey Terry, he tries anything like that again, and we start playing". I went, "Aye all right, Billy". Next thing, Peter Lorimer hit this ball into the top corner from what must’ve been 40 yards. I went straight to Alfie and said, "Turn it in, will you".

'Cyril Knowles scored, we won 4-2 and stayed up but we could see then things were going a bit wonky.'

Conn recounts the relegation campaign in his autobiography The Alfie Conn Story: What’s It All About, published in 2024. He left Spurs in March 1977 to join Celtic, making him the first to play on both sides of Glasgow’s Old Firm divide since the Second World War.

He adored his time in London but his recollections of the doomed campaign include ‘backbiting’ and player power, with an example from pre-season in West Germany when Burkinshaw called a meeting but was overruled by players, who wanted to go out drinking.

Conn accepts his share of the blame, but thought Burkinshaw 'simply wasn’t strong enough' and added: 'Going through our crisis, it was hell on earth as you could see what potentially might fix it, but the malaise was too ingrained in our dressing room for anything to really make a difference.'

Second-tier Cardiff City dumped Spurs out of the FA Cup and third-tier Wrexham won at White Hart Lane in the League Cup. The Cardiff defeat in January sparked another inquest.

'What did that sort out?' wrote Conn. 'We spent nearly an hour and a half discussing why I hadn’t challenged for three balls in the air. The following day there was another meeting. I wasn’t there, because I had been dropped for the game against Queens Park Rangers, but again I was the target – this time over throw-ins. That’s when I knew my time was up.'

Two months later he was playing for the reserves against Hereford United, when he was substituted and told there was someone to see him. Celtic boss Jock Stein was waiting to tell Conn he had agreed a transfer fee and booked him a haircut.

Division One had 22 teams and the foot of the table became congested. 'We still believed,' says Armstong. 'Still thinking we could turn it around with one good performance.'

But five games without a win starting with defeat at Arsenal on Easter Monday were damaging because rivals had games in hand.

'Going down wasn’t a pleasant thought,' says Pratt. 'It was a cross to bear. If there’s one difference between then and now, it’s that we were in no doubt what it meant to be relegated as Tottenham Hotspur.

'It is a big club with a fantastic history. I was always proud to pull that shirt on. I wasn’t the best Tottenham player ever, but they all knew I was trying.'

A 5-0 hammering at Manchester City in the penultimate game left Spurs praying for a miracle that did not materialise.

Pratt winces as he recalls giving the ball away to City’s Willie Donachie. Naylor recalls four or five days of introspection. 'Looking at where we went wrong,' he says. 'We had a marvellous Tottenham crowd behind us.'

Armstrong’s abiding memories of Maine Road are of tears in the dressing room. 'The pressure built up and then a beating like that when we needed a result...' says Armstrong. 'That was devastating.'

Spurs finished bottom, relegated with Stoke and Sunderland. West Ham escaped by beating Manchester United 4-2 on the Monday after the season should have ended.

Coventry and Bristol City escaped three days later in very controversial fashion, playing out a draw in a game where a delayed kick-off meant they knew a point was enough because Sunderland had lost the same night. Animosity still lingers on Wearside.

Spurs spent one season in Division Two, and it remains their only season away from the top flight in the last 76 years.

Burkinshaw found his feet as a manager in the second tier, built a team and after promotion signed Argentina World Cup stars Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa to launch another successful era of four trophies in 10 years.

'Relegation gave them an almighty kick up the backside,' says Taylor. 'We all felt responsible. Thankfully, there was enough love and determination inside the club from people who wanted to get the club straight back up.

'That’s why we had a very good season the season after. That’s what worries me if the same thing happens. I worry about the people there not doing that.'

Tottenham are actively on the lookout for new managers to replace Igor Tudor in case they choose to sack him after the weekend, according to a report.

Tudor's reign has been a disaster so far, with the interim coach losing all four of his games in charge since replacing Thomas Frank as Spurs continue to plummet towards the relegation zone.

They take on Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, and could find themselves in the bottom three if results fail to go their way this weekend.

According to the Athletic, the club are on the hunt for potential replacements in case they do choose to make a change. It's unclear whether the club would look to appoint another interim or a longer-term option.

Croat Tudor, 47, has come under criticism for his man-management of his players following his side's 5-2 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid.

Having opted to start Antonin Kinsky in goal over Guglielmo Vicario, he swapped the two after just 17 minutes after Kinsky had made two errors. As the goalkeeper left the field and headed down the tunnel, Tudor ignored him as players rushed to show concern.

Despite the predictions of many, he remains in a job and will take charge of this weekend's game.

The Spurs squad has been decimated by injury in recent weeks, with the likes of Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha all ruled out of the weekend's game.

The lengthy injury list also includes the likes of Wilson Odobert, James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Destiny Udogie.

Tudor himself was quizzed on his position on Friday, claiming he 'laughs' at the idea a different coach could do better.

That is despite Spurs being in free-fall under his leadership with many questioning his man management following his actions - or lack of - during the Champions League humbling.

'People think a new coach will come in and things will change and the problems will resolve,' Tudor told Sky Sports on Friday. 'It makes me laugh.

'When people want a new coach, it's a new hope. People always want new hope that things will change but the reality is totally different. The reality is not that.

'In this world where everyone has an opinion, you can never win. But as coaches we have to focus on what we can change. We need to stay calm and believe in ourselves.'

Paul Merson has insisted that Igor Tudor is only still Tottenham manager because no one wants to walk into a fixture against Liverpool.

Tudor is under immense pressure as interim boss, having lost all four games in charge and coming under criticism for his man-management of his players following his side's 5-2 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid.

Having opted to start Antonin Kinsky in goal over Guglielmo Vicario, he swapped the two after just 15 minutes after Kinsky had made two errors. As the goalkeeper left the field and headed down the tunnel, Tudor ignored him as players rushed to show concern.

Despite the prediction of many, he remains in a job and will take charge of this weekend's game against Liverpool, which could result in Spurs officially slipping into the bottom three.

But there's only one reason why he will oversee that game, according to Merson: because no one else wants to.

'I am and I'm not,' Merson said on Sky Sports when asked if he was surprised that Tudor is still in charge. 'I am because of the results and I'm not because it's Liverpool away.

'I don't know what manager would want to come in for that game. There are timings - I think they will wait until this game is over and it gives them another week then before the big game.'

It was then put to Merson that any incoming manager could have seen Sunday's game at Anfield - but the former Arsenal man rubbished that idea.

'No,' he replied bluntly. 'Who did we see it with, Ange (Postecoglou)? At Forest? he took it at Arsenal, they got ripped to shreds and it was the start of going down. It's not a free hit at all, you come in and get beat three or four and it's, "what has he done?".

'I think they will wait and I'll be shocked if he's manager next week against Nottingham Forest.'

Tudor himself was quizzed on his position prior to the match against Liverpool, claiming he 'laughs' at the idea a different coach could do better.

That's despite Spurs being in free-fall under his leadership with many questioning his man management following his actions - or lack of - during the Champions League humbling.

'People think a new coach will come in and things will change and the problems will resolve,' Tudor told Sky Sports on Friday. 'It makes me laugh.

'When people want a new coach, it's a new hope. People always want new hope that things will change but the reality is totally different. The reality is not that.

'In this world where everyone has an opinion, you can never win. But as coaches we have to focus on what we can change. We need to stay calm and believe in ourselves.'

Tottenham chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has given a damning assessment of former chairman Daniel Levy’s running of the club, after outlining a list of problems he believes he inherited at the club.

Levy left Tottenham after nearly 25 years back in September, with the long-serving chairman declaring that the club had been built into a ‘global heavyweight competing at the highest level’ upon his departure.

The 64-year-old was ousted just months after the appointment of Venkatesham, who joined Tottenham last April.

Significant concerns were raised by Tottenham’s Fan Advisory Board over Spurs league position at a meeting with the club on March 3 – two days before a 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace left them one point above the relegation zone.

In minutes from the meeting, which have been published by Spurs, outlined a series of damning criticisms over the state of the club.

‘VV explained that since joining the club in June 2025, there has been a comprehensive review of the organisation to determine the issues and actions required,’ the minutes read.

‘He explained that whilst he had a perspective of the club from the outside, it is only after spending time inside the club you can fully understand strengths, areas to improve and remedial actions needed.

‘While the club has made strong progress in areas such as the stadium, training facilities, commercial growth and stadium operations, several areas were identified as falling short of what is required to compete at the highest level.’

Key issues identified included ‘Insufficient focus across the organisation on on-pitch success, a lack of specialist expertise in certain areas and insufficient empowerment of experts in others, and a wage structure and player transaction approach that had impacted competitiveness in the transfer market.’

It was also found the club have ‘financial pressures arising from heavy transfer spending and limited player sales, increasing the relevance of financial fair play constraints to future planning’, whilst having a ‘men’s squad requiring strengthening in terms of quality, experience and leadership.’

Further areas identified included an ‘insufficient prioritisation of the women’s team, an internal culture requiring improvement in a number of areas, and a growing disconnect between the club and its supporter base.’

Venkatesham highlighted a series of appointments to improve expertise at the club and the implementation of a ‘modernised governance structure’ to help tackle the issues.

It is claimed the structure will provide ‘Increased resilience, checks and balances, greater expertise’ and ‘delegation rather than centralisation, which means club can move quicker, with experts making decisions.’

When addressing player recruitment, it was stated that changes had been made to the club’s approach including the ‘removal of previous wage structure constraints and a revised transaction approach designed to better balance speed of execution with achieving the best possible deal.’

It was also noted that there would be ‘an increased emphasis’ on player sales alongside continued revenue growth to allow investment in the playing squad to help comply with financial fair play rules.

The club added that it ‘recognises the urgency and priority of the current situation’ with Tottenham fighting to preserve its Premier League status.

Tottenham’s hierarchy were also questioned over the potential impact of relegation on ticket pricing and communications with supporters around the issue.

Subsequently, Tottenham have now delayed their season-ticket renewal process.

In an email to season-ticket holders, Tottenham said: 'As previously communicated, General Admission Season Ticket Renewals for 2026/27 open today (Thursday 12 March).

'In line with our Ticketing Charter published in March 2024, we are committed to opening renewals by no later than 15 March each year.

'We recognise the seriousness of the current league position of our men’s team and, following discussions with our Fan Advisory Board and the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, can confirm the renewal window for 2026/27 will now remain open for an extended period until Sunday 7 June to ensure fans have full clarity on next season before renewing.'

Last season, fans had until two days after the final game of the Premier League season to apply for a renewal.

The decision was made in February to freeze season-ticket prices after supporters' groups were consulted.

This time around, they will have two weeks following the end of the campaign.

Despite Tottenham's claims their new governance structure will help the club to move quicker, the club has faced criticism from fans over delaying the decision sack their former head coach Thomas Frank.

A further decision looms with interim boss Igor Tudor under mounting pressure following four successive defeats.

Tottenham head into a daunting clash with Liverpool on Sunday a point above the relegation zone, while a potentially season defining match against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest looms on March 22.

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Morale was rock bottom when Tottenham arrived in Madrid and by the time their team bus crawled up the ramp from the depths of the Metropolitano for its short ride to the airport and a flight home to London it was through the floor.

More than another crushing defeat, the battering at the hands of Atletico Madrid was another night of embarrassment for the players and their interim boss Igor Tudor.

Perhaps when they employed the Croatian to replace Thomas Frank, Spurs liked the idea his stern and taciturn manner would be good for kicking a few backsides and bringing those players who are not quite as good as they like to think down a peg or two.

If that was the plan, it appears at this point to have backfired. Some players seem to suspect Tudor’s charmless brand of passive aggression is designed to belittle them.

These are the very same players he needs to perform if this salvage operation is going to work.

Friends of Tudor say he has hidden warmth. If true, he is keeping it well hidden.

Some players feel he has worked them hard in training for the sake of it, rather than conditioning his depleted squad carefully through the match schedule, and has set out to impose his authority, being disrespectful almost to the point of mockery.

This was the feeling before Madrid, so imagine the private conversations they were sharing after his brutal treatment of back-up goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.

Tudor and his staff, which includes two first-team goalkeeper coaches, threw Kinsky into his first game for five months then hauled him off after two mistakes in the first 17 minutes without a word of consolation.

The goalkeeping union led the criticism of Tudor. Former Spurs and England goalkeepers Paul Robinson and Joe Hart on broadcasting duty at the Metropolitano. Former Atletico and Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea on social media. More scorn followed from ex-Spurs players.

The showy substitution may have satisfied Tudor’s ego, but it leaves Kinsky’s reputation in tatters. Same as his confidence. Guglielmo Vicario, who has endured his own struggles in a season when he has been booed by his own fans, will continue in goal at Liverpool.

What if he is injured or sent off? Back to Kinsky or straight to third-choice Brandon Austin.

It is a mess of many dimensions and relegation fears eat away.

Kinsky, according to the Daily Telegraph, has already accepted he will probably have to look for a loan move away from Spurs to restore confidence and reputation.

Players don’t like seeing a team-mate humiliated.

One of very few admirable decisions made during the game against Atletico was by those who ran to offer consolation and support for the goalkeeper as he was replaced and those from the substitutes who jogged after him to the dressing room.

'You wouldn’t wish this on anyone,' said Micky van de Ven when asked about Kinsky by Dutch TV.

As for the mood in the dressing room, Van de Ven pulled no punches. '(It's) terrible to be honest,' said the Spurs vice-captain. 'A doomsday scenario. I could give you the standard talk that we all have to stick together and work hard but we’re just being dealt blow after blow.

'It is really difficult. Everything that could go wrong in the first 20 minutes went wrong. Everyone slips, including me. Those are moments you simply can’t do anything about. I can’t just stand here and start blaming the pitch.'

As Tudor performed a series of tense and terse post-match interviews, most players put their heads down and trudged to the bus. Only Kevin Danso ventured into the mixed zone areas where players can field questions from the non-rights holders.

Danso is a positive force in the dressing room. He speaks different languages and links together different groups. He was all about ‘looking in the mirror’ and ‘digging deep’ and ‘bouncing back’.

For the first time in history, Spurs have lost six in a row, and few are betting against seven when they go to Liverpool on Sunday with Tudor still in charge.

Van de Ven is suspended, and Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha are doubts after a sickening clash of heads in stoppage time in Madrid, something of a metaphor for the season.

Tudor has made a misfiring team worse by frantically thrashing around for a solution from one tactical plan to another, throwing players in one minute and discarding them the next.

Frank went through a similar process but over time and without the burning fuse there was not the same undercurrent of panic.

Tudor in fairness had made clear in Madrid on the eve of the game that he would prioritise Premier League survival, which was perhaps behind his decision to give Vicario a breather and rest Dominic Solanke, who spent the first six months of the season out injured, and Palhinha, who has been playing on despite a niggle.

Solanke has been effective in Europe with goals in each of the previous two Champions League games against Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt, and he scored from the bench against Atletico.

Without Palhinha, Spurs lack physical presence in midfield. Without Xavi Simons, who also excelled against Dortmund and Frankfurt, there is a creativity void. Yet Tudor has cast him aside as with Conor Gallagher, signed for £35million in January.

Captain Romero meanwhile seems to be advertising for a move, and Spurs are unlikely to stand in his way if someone offers north of £60m but this was the case last summer, when Atletico were said to be keen on the Argentina international but did not show with a bid.

Any concept of a summer clear-out is easier said than done. Those players Spurs want to keep will be the ones attracting the most interest. Bayern Munich are becoming increasingly interested in Archie Gray, one of the few whose stock has risen despite the crisis.

Chelsea and Aston Villa plan to test resolve over Lucas Bergvall. Bayern and Barcelona are among the clubs in pursuit of Luka Vuskovic, a teenage centre-half on loan at Hamburg who has yet to make a competitive appearance for Spurs and is not keen to return.

The sombre flight from Madrid to Stansted touched down in the early hours of Wednesday morning, by which time the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust had issued a statement branding the performance ‘a total disgrace’ and demanding a ticket refund.

Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham was at his desk before 9am and locked in his office for most of the day.

Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange have been thumbing through contingency ideas and making calls since the shambles against Crystal Palace last week and holding tight to the idea that it is better to avoid another change in case it sets them back a month to the point of the Frank sacking.

Former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, among the popular options, told reporters at the Cheltenham Festival he would love to do it but had not been approached. Nor has Ryan Mason, a former Spurs player and popular coach who has twice stepped into the breach on an interim mission.

Sean Dyche tops the ‘next Spurs boss’ betting and it makes some sense, but Tottenham have always been cool on Roberto De Zerbi, another who features prominently with bookmakers because of his availability after leaving Marseille.

If they can reach the summer as a Premier League club, a limited field of candidates will open up. But for now relegation stalks the scene.

Relive Daily Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates from this evening's Champions League fixtures featuring Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham and Newcastle vs Barcelona.

The Premier League has come under criticism from one of its own players amid the current trend of set-piece importance.

Dominant league leaders Arsenal have come under-fire from outsiders for their set-piece focus - with Mikel Arteta's side having scored 19 goals directly from this (corners, free-kicks and/or throw-ins).

That tally is the most in the English top-flight this season with Newcastle second on the list, having scored five fewer set-pieces.

Tottenham are among a cluster of teams who have scored 13 set-pieces this season, but their forward Mathys Tel is not a fan of the style of football.

Speaking on the Zack Nani Foot & Live podcast, Tel didn't hold back - brandishing the Premier League as a 'zoo'.

'I'll tell you the truth, yes, it's [the Premier League] not a spectacle,' he said. 'It's boring to watch; it's really just a clash between two teams with their own ideas.

'There's less flair, no Vinicius pulling off a sombrero flick, no dribbling, no Kylian (Mbappe) unleashing a burst of speed.

'I'd say it's more structured, perhaps too much so, with clear strategies, all those set pieces, little details that can sometimes make the difference. But sometimes, you might think it's just too much.'

'The scuffles in the box in front of the goalkeepers? I told the assistant coach in charge of set pieces: "Don't put me on the marking". Because it's a zoo!

'We're all stuck together, everyone's pushing each other, throwing each other to the ground, holding on… Forget it. The goalkeeper can't get out, he can't see.'

Thankfully for Tel, Tottenham's next match isn't in the Premier League as they travel to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday night.

Tim Sherwood believes the reality of the Premier League has 'slapped' Tottenham interim boss Igor Tudor 'in the face', following a catastrophic start to his temporary stint at the helm.

The former Juventus boss was appointed Spurs boss until the end of the season in early February, with the north London club sitting just five points above the relegation zone.

However, hopes of a new manager bounce have failed to come to fruition. Tottenham have lost all three of their league matches under Tudor since his arrival, and are hovering just one point above West Ham, who sit 18th in the top flight.

Alarm bells are now very much ringing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium amid fears of relegation, and Sherwood has taken issue with Tudor's disappointing start.

'I think he's been slapped straight in the face by the competition in the Premier League,' Sherwood told Sky Sports.

'It ain't easy. This is a tough competition. He looks lost at times on the touchline; he knew nothing about it.'

Spurs have nine games left to avoid the unthinkable and battle off the resurgent Nottingham Forest and West Ham, who have both gained momentum in the relegation fight in the past week.

And with Tottenham spiralling toward the drop, Sherwood believes Tudor needs to change his authoritarian approach and adopt a more gentle touch.

He added: 'He's gone from, "I 100 per cent guarantee we spend next season in the Premier League", to, "the players are not fit enough, we're not good in attack, we're not good in the middle, we're not good at the back, we need our injured players back to fitness".

'You've got to get on with what you've got. Forget all that nonsense. Concentrate on the players who are fit at the moment and try and give them a lift.

'You don't get that [new manager] bounce by having a stick and whacking them with it. Not if the downside looks like relegation.

'You have to give them a cuddle. You have to find the best solution. You have to give them an easy solution to how we're going to play. This is how we play.'

If things are to go even further south for Spurs than they already are, then club legend Glenn Hoddle has thrown his hat into the ring to save Tottenham by returning to the dugout.

Speaking on Could It Be Magic, the FA Cup podcast sponsored by Carling, before the Palace defeat, the 68-year-old was asked if returning to management appealed to him.

'I think it would actually,' he said. 'Particularly with Tottenham, as that's my club. I've supported them since I was eight years of age. So they were a massive part of my life.'

Hoddle was previously in charge of Spurs between 2001 and 2003, having already coached England and Chelsea. Though he enjoyed a couple of cup runs, mid-table finishes in the top flight led to his sacking.

'I managed them probably at the wrong time, I've got to say,' he added. 'Let's put it that way.

'Politically and financially, there wasn't money there. Certainly, it wasn't what they told me I was going into.'

Tottenham fans have accused the ownership of disrespecting the club by selling t-shirts with the word 'Spursy' emblazoned on the front.

The white top with the 'Spursy' label and Nike branding is available for £30 from the club's official store.

Rival supporters often use 'Spursy' as a term to insult Tottenham, particularly after crumbling in high-pressure situations such as the Champions League final.

But the club actually brought out the shirt in the summer to reclaim the term after winning the Europa League, and even James Maddison has enjoyed wearing it.

Now, fans are reacting negatively to it as the club are in genuine threat of being relegated - perhaps one of the Spursiest things imaginable after a £145million summer net spend.

'It seems like the owners and the hierarchy don't actually respect the club,' a Tottenham fan called James told Daily Mail Sport.

'Imagine Arsenal making a shirt that had "bottlers" on it.

'The game's gone.'

Meanwhile, a Spurs supporter told The Sun: 'That T-shirt’s self-sabotage.'

'I’m fuming. It’s the kind of thing you’d see in Arsenal’s shop.'

Another added: 'It makes fun of the supporters, club and team and that’s not right.'

Daily Mail Sport has made contact with other Tottenham fans in a bid to ascertain their views.

Last year, a Swedish politician wielded the 'Spursy' term in a bizarre parliamentary speech.

Mikael Damberg said Sweden have 'squandered opportunities' for their economy to prosper, despite having the perfect conditions to deliver success - much like Spurs, in the politician's view.

The north Londoners found themselves deep in a relegation battle last season, despite boasting a stunning new stadium and arguably the best training facilities in world football.

'I naturally think of Tottenham Hotspur, also known as Spurs, it is one of England's most distinguished and rich clubs with an enormous stadium, dedicated and large supporter base - everything to be considered a "top team,"' he told the Swedish chamber.

'Despite this, Tottenham find themselves in crisis. They are fighting at the bottom of the table, just a few points above the relegation zone. Not because they lack resources or benefits, but because they have squandered opportunities.

'Due to making wrong decisions, general jerkiness and thinking in the short-term, they have lost their direction and stability.'

'The club have been given the name 'Spursy', [which is] when you have opportunities but get no results. Madame Speaker that is precisely how the Minister of Finance is handling the Swedish economy.

'Sweden has the power, ability and resources. We have the companies, workforce and innovation capabilities. Conditions exist for the Swedish economy to prosper.'

He added: 'The government risks making Sweden 'Spursy'. That won't do. Sweden cannot perform like Tottenham.'

Tottenham have been ruthlessly and gleefully mocked online, with talkSPORT presenter and ex-Spurs man Jamie O'Hara savagely feeling the heat.

Crystal Palace's 3-1 win at Spurs, plunging the north London club deeper into their relegation crisis was a new nadir for the club on Thursday night.

Opposition supporters wasted absolutely no time in mercilessly teasing the embattled club and while most were able to turn off their TV and scream into the abyss, O'Hara had to front up on his radio show.

Co-host and Chelsea fan Jason Cundy, wearing an Ange Postecoglou mask even managed to push O'Hara's buttons to the point of him walking out of the studio.

O'Hara said: 'I know you're laughing and joking mate but seriously...'

Cundy probed: 'Tudor has had three games, give him time on the training ground, it's not his fault is it?'

O'Hara asked: 'Do you think he's good enough?'

When Cundy replied in the affirmative and quipped that he'd 'seen signs', his irritated colleague and friend said it was 'pointless' doing a show with him, called him an 'idiot' and walked off set.

Fellow talkSPORT pundit and former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor also had a pop online.

He posted the viral clip of O'Hara's appearance on an American dating show in which his identity as a former footballer had been concealed until the big reveal with a woman.

Agbonlahor captioned it: 'Spurs players on holiday in the summer trying to explain playing in the Championship next season. LOL!!!!'

The video shows O'Hara telling his love interest: 'Actually, I'm a really famous soccer player from England.'

The taunting was not just limited to O'Hara, however, with plenty of opposition supporters sticking the knife in online and Paddy Power also taunting Spurs.

Replying to a 2023 post from a Spurs account on X talking up signing Guglielmo Vicario over David Raya, they wrote: 'Aged like milk in a sauna.'

Another from the bookmaker went: 'The cameraman picking out miserable Spurs fans in the crowd deserves an Oscar.'

Football influencer Expressions, who is a Spurs fan and live streams his reaction to games, joined in the misery, calling Haringey Council's Social Services to report the 'child abuse' of the fans.

The TNT Sport cameramen repeatedly picked out Spurs fans looking disconsolate in the stands, much to the enjoyment of rival supporters tuning in out of morbid fascination.

One was picked out at the end of the game sitting in isolation after most had long since departed.

When he saw himself appear on camera he immediately stuck up a middle finger.

Another fan posted a clip of 'one of our best set-pieces of the season, showing Xavi Simons lining it up before inexplicably passing the ball to a Crystal Palace player.

Another replied to the news of next season's Championship changing the play-offs from four to six teams next season.

They joked: 'Finally some good news for Spurs.'

Championship-related gags were a running theme, with another user sharing a clip of Keir Starmer speaking after Labour won the election, saying: 'What a night they had in Plymouth and then Stoke,' in reference to the unglamorous away days Spurs might have to encounter next term.

'Man who thought he'd lost all hope loses last additional bit of hope he didn't even know he still had,' was another meme shared.

Spurs are now just one point above the relegation zone with nine games remaining this season.