Spurs Web

Igor Tudor has 12 games to save Tottenham’s Premier League status, and there are plenty of reasons to believe he’s the right man for the job.

The search for a new manager didn’t last long at Spurs, with Thomas Frank sacked on Wednesday morning and Igor Tudor brought in on Saturday.

With Spurs sitting in 16th place in the Premier League table and just five points above the relegation zone, the pressure is on the Croatian.

There are winners and losers in the wake of Tudor’s arrival, but hopefully, Tottenham as a club can thrive over the next four or five months and be in a much better place come the summer.

Here, we have five reasons why we’re feeling positive about Tudor, and two niggling concerns.

Why Igor Tudor is perfect for Tottenham

He has big-club experience

Throughout his managerial career, Tudor has coached the likes of Juventus, Galatasaray, Marseille, and Lazio. They are some of the biggest clubs in Europe, all with very passionate, demanding fanbases. He knows how to handle that pressure, and that will be key to him being a success at Spurs.

Tudor can fix clubs

If we look more closely at Tudor’s career, he has a great track record in short-term projects. In fact, the longer he is at a club, the worse things get. But, when Tudor is tasked with fixing clubs in the immediate, he does really well. His record in the first few games at Juventus was great, for example, and hopefully he can experience a similar bounce at Tottenham.

MORE SPURS STORIES

His formation works for Tottenham right now

We know Tudor’s preferred formation is a 3-4-2-1, which is a drastic change for Spurs, but that’s a good thing. For a start, whatever we’ve been doing for the past eight months has not been working, so change is needed.

More specifically, the fact that he doesn’t use wingers is really useful, seen as Spurs don’t have any fit wide players right now. When the likes of Mohammed Kudus come back, it’ll be another matter for Tudor to solve, but for now, the squad actually works for the system he’ll employ.

Tudor’s no-nonsense style is needed

One of the main issues with Thomas Frank, if we’re being honest, is that he just seemed to be too soft. At least in the media, he did not demand enough from his players and it felt like the standards of this football club took a massive hit.

Igor Tudor is the exact opposite. He sounds desperate to win at all costs, and we know from his past managerial spells — and indeed, his playing career — that he is not a man who will shy away from telling people what they need to hear and taking action to resolve things. This Spurs squad needs that kind of no-nonsense approach right now; they need to wake up and fight, and Tudor will demand just that.

Randal Kolo Muani can benefit from Tudor at Tottenham

After struggling this season, we could see Randal Kolo Muani thrive under Igor Tudor. They worked together at Juventus, and Kolo Muani excelled there. If Tudor can figure out how best to utilise the Frenchman here, it’ll be like having a new signing.

Downsides to the Tudor appointment

He has no Premier League experience

It may or may not be an issue, but Igor Tudor does not have any Premier League experience. On the one hand, that means he may need some time to get used to the demands of the game and to better understand the different challenges each time bring.

However, there’s also a good argument that it won’t matter at all. Thomas Frank had plenty of Premier League experience and look how that worked out. Also, Arne Slot came in last season and won the league with Liverpool in his first season in England. So, hopefully it’s not an issue at all, but it is a concern for now.

Does Tudor really care about long-term Tottenham success?

Again, this really shouldn’t be an issue, but there’s always the concern that an interim manager simply won’t care as much as someone who’s signed on for the long-term. Tudor is here for five months, and has already been told he won’t be staying on beyond the summer unless something incredible happens between now and then.

He’ll have no interest in the long-term development of players, is unlikely to enact any real changes on a large scale behind the scenes in terms of how the club operates, and at the end of the day, he could feasibly walk away from this job without a care in the world, regardless of what happens in the next 12 games.

Obviously, Tudor will want to protect (and even enhance) his own reputation. Being involved in the relegation of one of the Premier League ever-presents and a member of the Big Six would naturally harm his chances of getting another job. We have to believe that, even if he is only here for a few months, Tudor will care deeply about how he does at Spurs. But there must be a slight difference in mentality, even subconsciously.

Tottenham’s Kota Takai had an outing to forget for Borussia Monchengladbach against Eintracht Frankfurt, but he did showcase one of his big strengths.

The Japanese international missed much of the first-half of the season with injury after arriving at Tottenham from K-League side Kawasaki Frontale last summer.

Takai was loaned out to Gladbach in January without making a single appearance for the Lilywhites.

The Japanese defender has featured in five Bundesliga matches since his January move, but Sunday was a day to forget for the centre-back.

Tottenham youngster Kota Takai showcases his impressive passing

Takai started on the left of Glaback’s back three away at Deutsche Bank Park as his side fell to a 3-0 loss against Frankfurt.

The on-loan Tottenham Hotspur man had the lowest match rating out of all the players who featured in the clash, as per FotMob, who gave him just a 4.9 out of 10.

While it was not a good outing for the 21-year-old centre-back, he did showcase his tidiness on the ball for the away side.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Takai had a pass completion rate of 96 per cent, completing 76 of his 79 attempted passes, including all three of his attempted long passes.

That suggests that the Japanese international is technically good on the ball, but Spurs would want him to improve defensively before he returns to Hotspur Way in the summer.

Some would be tempted to contrast Takai’s struggles with the performances of Luka Vuskovic, who is continuing to shine at Hamburg, in what is his first taste of Bundesliga football.

However, while Vuskovic has had loan spells in Belgium and Poland, and played first-team football in the Croatian top flight, this is Takai’s first experience of senior European football.

The centre-back will undoubtedly have some challenges over the next couple of months, and it will be interesting to see how he adapts.

Thomas Frank’s time in north London may be over, but interest in the former Tottenham manager is already beginning to gather pace elsewhere in the Premier League.

Thomas Frank’s departure did not come as a surprise to many, as the Dane’s Premier League record left a lot to be desired.

Managing just two wins from his last 17 outings and having Spurs in 16th place with 12 games to go was ultimately the reason for his dismissal.

The former Spurs manager will now be thinking about his next steps following his sacking from north London, and fresh reports have revealed what could be next for Frank.

Tottenham axed boss Thomas Frank wanted by three Premier League clubs

According to TeamTalk, it is understood that three Premier League sides are now showing interest in Thomas Frank despite his sacking at Tottenham.

Crystal Palace, Fulham and Bournemouth are the clubs that have the former Spurs manager on their radar as they prepare for the summer.

Palace do expect Oliver Glasner to depart Selhurst Park, while both Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola have their current deals at Fulham and Bournemouth set to expire in the summer, respectively. All three sides believe that Frank would be a great fit for their clubs.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Why Fulham, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace are interested in Thomas Frank

The outlet also reveals why all three of those sides are keen on Thomas Frank. It is claimed that each club sees a potential opening and knows the value of stability.

They also recognise that Frank, with his Premier League experience, developmental pedigree and proven ability to work within modern football structures, fits the profile of the next wave of top-flight managers.

While all of these qualities were on display at Brentford, with Frank showing his ability to develop players and work within a structure, it never quite clicked at Tottenham, with results ultimately failing.

However, by the summer, there is a possibility that Frank will be in the dugout for a Premier League team again.

The numbers suggest that Tottenham Hotspur youngster Mikey Moore is now consistently delivering the goods for Rangers.

After a difficult start to his loan spell at Rangers, the Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder has come into his own over the last few months.

Moore delivered a masterclass against Kilmarnock just over 10 days ago, and the Spurs youngster has now produced another fine performance against table-topping Hearts.

The 18-year-old was one of the stars of the show for the home side as they emerged 4-2 winners on Sunday, moving to just two points from the summit of the Scottish Premiership table.

Tottenham youngster Mikey Moore is starting to fulfil his potential

Mikey Moore played 88 minutes, and his performance was rated 7.4 out of 10 by Fotmob.

The Tottenham youngster had five shots in total, hitting the post once and accumulating an xG of 0.52. He finished with a 93 per cent pass accuracy, finding his intended target with 26 of his 28 passes.

He had 45 touches in total, including five inside the opposition box, completing one of his two attempted dribbles and was not dispossessed once through the game.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Moore was fouled once, completed one tackle and one ball recovery while winning three out of the four duels he competed in.

In fact, here are the youngsters’ last 10 performance ratings on FotMob, which show that Moore has now arrived and is starting to live up to his potential:

Moore could remain at Rangers next season

Spurs fans are understandably excited about the prospect of Moore returning to Hotspur Way in the summer and staking his claim for a starting berth next season.

Tottenham have had issues in the left-wing role, and some might feel the teenager could be the answer to the problem if he keeps developing as he is.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters will be cautiously optimistic ahead of their team’s clash with Arsenal, with visible changes expected as Igor Tudor takes his seat in the dugout for the North London Derby.

Tottenham Hotspur return to action next Sunday with a fixture which is huge for four reasons, one of which is that it is a local deby.

It is also a massive game because Spurs are only five points clear and worse still, Arsenal are in prime position to win the Premier League, increasing the match’s importance.

Fourthly, the upcoming North London derby is the first chance Spurs fans have to witness Igor Tudor and to get to grips with what he is all about.

Here are three things they will expect from what is surely one of the biggest games of the season for both clubs.

Igor Tudor should show a clear style and formation

Tottenham fans may already have some pre-conceived ideas about the way Tudor operates based on his time in Italy.

However, there is always a chance the manager examines the Tottenham first-team squad and decides a few tweaks need to be made which differ from his typical style of play.

MORE SPURS STORIES

One week is not long to implement a whole new system and so it will be interesting to see whether Tudor comes in all guns blazing, or whether he brings change gradually each week.

Many Spurs fans will be anticipating a 3-4-2-1 formation which enables aggressive and direct football, but all will be revealed soon enough.

Tottenham should play with more fight vs Arsenal

Spurs have been woeful in recent weeks and a lack of quality is one big issue, but this is not the sole problem.

Thomas Frank’s team simply did not look all that bothered on a number of occasions. It was clear the Dane’s words did little to inspire his players and that was reflected by their performances.

The pressure is really on now and with a new manager who takes no nonsense, Tottenham should be fired up and ready to do whatever it takes to get a result on Sunday.

Perhaps it has felt like there has been nothing to play in the Premier League over the past couple of months. However, the stakes have been raised as relegation becomes a possibility. This demands a response from the team and the sooner we see it, the better.

Two Spurs players could return for Tudor’s opening game

Tottenham have experienced no luck where injuries are concerned this season, but there could be some light at the end of the tunnel with two upcoming returns.

While there are no guarantees, Pedro Porro and Richarlison could both be back for the North London derby, in which case they would most likely begin the match on the bench.

Porro could become a key player under Tudor if he opts to play with wing-backs and Richarlison will have a point to prove after some strong displays from Dominic Solanke.

Dimitri Payet’s past comments have now highlighted what Tottenham Hotspur fans can expect from Igor Tudor over the next 12 games.

Tottenham Hotspur fans know a few things about their new interim boss, Igor Tudor, even though he has yet to take to the dugout in an official game.

We already know Tudor prefers a three-at-the-back system and is one who focuses on keeping things solid defensively, as he loves his sides compact.

The former Juventus man has also managed a couple of bright starts in some of his previous outings, but doing that in the Premier League is, of course, an entirely different game.

Dimitri Payet opens up on Igor Tudor’s methods

Tudor had a spell at Marseille at some point in his career and managed to turn things around for the French side, helping them to win eight straight games, ironically after a Champions League exit to Spurs back in 2023.

The former Juventus man introduced a high-pressing, high-line, aggressive system when with the Ligue 1 outfit, and he went on to win eight of his first 10 games.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Speaking about Tudor in the build-up to his exit in 2023, Dimitri Payet opened up on the manager’s manner and approach, explaining how the squad reacted to his methods.

He told France Football: “We all got acquainted with someone who was coarse and blunt. In his manners and words, he was authoritative. We were all a bit shocked.

“With a little hindsight, he was excessively harsh at first to mark his territory and implement some measures. Then, it was a bit better.”

Tottenham squad could benefit from Igor Tudor authority

That could be exactly what this group of Spurs players need as they look to turn things around on the field, following their disappointing run of two wins in 17 games.

A manager capable of putting his foot down and stamping his authority on this side rather quickly, while getting results, will be good for Tottenham.

If Tudor can replicate his methods at Marseille at Spurs, then he will for sure get the fans behind him and will be able to help them avoid relegation.

Make no mistake: Tottenham are in the middle of a relegation battle right now. So, how will the next 12 games go?

It’s all change at Spurs this week, and not a moment too soon, either. After Thomas Frank’s abysmal run with the Lilywhites, Igor Tudor is being tasked with simply keeping the club in the Premier League.

As things stand, Spurs are in 16th place in the table, just five points clear of West Ham in 18th. Opta’s supercomputer has increased Tottenham’s chances of relegation, and it’s now a very real possibility.

Hopefully, Tudor can bring a new manager bounce and revitalise this struggling squad. Here, we take a look at Tottenham’s run-in and see where the points will come from.

How will Tottenham fare in the next 12 Premier League games?

Arsenal (H) – Loss

Tudor’s first game in charge will be a huge one, with the North London Derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. I’d love to say home advantage will play a factor, and obviously, there’s nothing any of us would love more than to ruin Arsenal’s title charge, but I just cannot see us being anywhere near ready to upset the odds here.

Fulham (A) – Draw

Fulham have been inconsistent this season, which makes them very difficult to predict. At Craven Cottage, they’ll be a tough test for Spurs, but I do think Tudor’s methods will have started to bed in by this point. A hard-earned draw will be a solid result and another step towards safety.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Crystal Palace (H) – Tottenham Win

I’ve got a good feeling that Tudor’s first win as Spurs boss will be a comprehensive victory at home against Crystal Palace. The Eagles have been shaky this season, to say the least, and we simply have to win this one if we are serious about staying in the league. We have a pretty good record against Palace, and I don’t expect that to end this time.

Liverpool (A) – Loss

Much like the Arsenal game, Spurs are simply not strong enough to beat Liverpool this year. Our squad is ravaged by injuries and even the players coming back around this time will be lacking in match sharpness. Liverpool haven’t been perfect this season, but they’ve got more than enough quality to secure a win against Spurs at Anfield.

Nottingham Forest (H) – Tottenham Win

This is the most important game in the run-in for Spurs. Lose this one, and we’ll be sweating until the final day. Win, however, and Tottenham should be able to put a little bit of distance between them and their relegation rivals. With more quality and being on home soil, I fancy this to be a win that acts as a real catalyst to putting together a bit of a run of form and putting relegation fears to bed.

Sunderland (A) – Draw

An away day at the Stadium of Light is a stern test for any team, and Spurs will be worried about this one despite Sunderland’s drop-off in the second half of the season. Honestly, a draw would be a good result here, and I think Tudor’s men will be able to grind it out.

Brighton (H) – Tottenham Win

Brighton are just two points ahead of Spurs in the Premier League table right now, and by the time we face them later this year, I fancy the tables to have turned. At home and against a team clearly lacking in confidence, Tottenham will get the job done.

Wolves (A) – Draw

For some reason, Wolves have been a bit of a bogey team for Spurs over the last few years. They may be rock bottom of the table, but they’ll still end up frustrating the Lilywhites and getting a point out of us. It’s fate.

Aston Villa (A) – Loss

A little unbeaten run will no doubt end at Villa Park. Like Wolves, we just cannot seem to get anything in the Midlands lately, and Villa have looked like real contenders to break up the Big Six this season. This one won’t be pretty, I fear, and we just have to hope it’s not too much of a body blow to derail the final few games for us.

Leeds United (H) – Tottenham Win

I think Leeds will have enough to stay up this season, but they’re so inconsistent it’s hard to see them getting a win in North London. We tend to do well against them and this could be the difference between finishing above or below Leeds. We’ll get the win we need to climb the table.

Chelsea (A) – Loss

Playing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is as close to a foregone conclusion as I can think of for Spurs. We struggle to get anything there, and I think a big part of that is a mentality issue. With Chelsea likely to be hunting down a Champions League spot, they’ll be eager to beat us and they’ll get what they want.

Everton (H) – Tottenham Win

At home on the final day of the season, it’s so important to leave behind this rotten campaign on a positive note. Everton have looked good this term and it won’t be an easy game at all, but we don’t have a bad record against the Toffees and I think we can get the three points here.

Spurs will stay up… just

That would be nine points more than Tottenham’s tally last season, and would have been enough to land in 14th place in 2024/25.

If we look at the fixtures for Tottenham’s relegation rivals, Forest still need to play both Manchester teams and Chelsea away from home, while Liverpool and Aston Villa will visit the City Ground, too. They’re very unlikely to get anything from those games, and if we can beat them, too, then it’ll be more than enough to keep us out of trouble.

Meanwhile, West Ham have a slightly more favourable run-in. Yes, they have to go to Villa Park and Anfield, but they’ll also play Wolves and Leeds at home, as well as having winnable games against Fulham, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and Everton. If those games go their way, I fancy them to overtake Forest and stay up.

Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has now urged Igor Tudor to lean on youth as pressure builds on senior stars amid relegation fears.

Without a shadow of doubt, the task at hand for Igor Tudor at Tottenham Hotspur is a big one as the former Juventus man aims to steady the ship.

Not only is picking up points vital, but infusing confidence in this Spurs side is absolutely important given their abysmal run of two wins in 17 games.

While the higher-ups at Spurs might not want to admit it, Tottenham are currently in a relegation scrap as five points separate them from 18th-placed West Ham United.

Tottenham told Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall must lead revival

With results only getting worse, questions have been asked about whether this group of players have what it takes to come out on top in a relegation scrap.

Former boss Thomas Frank refused to give a definite answer about Spurs’ relegation fight, but now Harry Redknapp has named two youngsters Igor Tudor must turn to if he is to change things around.

Writing in The Sun, he said: “A fine example for Romero and the rest of the squad to follow is 19-year-old midfielder Archie Gray.

MORE SPURS STORIES

“He was Tottenham’s player of the year for me last season and delivers whenever or wherever you play him. Gray is a future Tottenham captain and everyone should be looking to him.

“He puts in a performance and shows commitment and desire, whether at right-back, centre-back or in midfield.

“The kids at Tottenham, both Gray and Lucas Bergvall, have been showing up the leaders for far too long and it is time the more senior figures followed their lead.”

Spurs youngsters could shape Tudor system

Archie Gray has performed at a top level so far this season and has continued to be a big asset to Tottenham thanks to his versatility.

Former boss Thomas Frank trusted the 19-year-old to do a job at holding midfield, and with injuries to his full-backs, Gray was then moved to right-back, where he continued to put in top displays.

Tudor, the new interim manager, favours a 3-4-2-1 formation, and that could see Gray once again move back to midfield.

As for Bergvall, however, the former Juventus man cannot call on him at the moment as he continues to nurse an injury.

Speaking about the north London derby, Redknapp also reflected on the scale of the occasion and what it could mean for Tudor’s start.

He added: “Tudor might well be daunted by having the North London derby as their first game – but it can be ideal.

“There is nothing to lose for the manager or the players in this situation. When sides are in deep trouble like Tottenham are, a game where they are underdogs can change everything.

“My second game back in 2008 was against Arsenal – and we drew 4-4 at Highbury having been 4-2 down with two minutes to go. With some belief, anything is possible in that game.”

Tim Sherwood has backed Mauricio Pochettino to return to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer after the World Cup in America.

Tottenham Hotspur instead opted to go down the route of an interim manager following the sacking of Thomas Frank, with the appointment of Igor Tudor.

The former Juventus man will be aiming to bring some stability to north London following a run of inconsistent results at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, with his contract a short-term one, questions remain over who will take up the full-time role in the future.

Tottenham tipped to reappoint Mauricio Pochettino this summer

Speaking on Soccer Saturday, as relayed by Sky Sports, Tim Sherwood discussed the circumstances surrounding the recent managerial change and delivered his view on who he believes will take charge in the summer.

He said: “The toxic nature of the fans has got the man the sack. Thomas Frank has not helped himself because it has been really poor, and we know there have been mitigating circumstances with injuries.

MORE SPURS STORIES

“They still have a good enough squad to beat the teams in the bottom half of the league. It was inevitable.

“I do not think they wanted to sack him. If they kept him, they would stay in the Premier League anyway, but they have gone totally left-field with the appointment of Igor Tudor. It might work, it might not.

“We know who is coming in the summer – it will be Pochettino, 100 per cent.

“I do not think the club will be brave enough to turn to anyone else. There are other options out there but the pressure on another man getting that job and losing two games and then the crowd saying ‘you had a chance to bring Poch back’ – it is impossible for them to look elsewhere.”

Spurs set for key decision beyond interim spell

Of course, Sherwood is right that Pochettino will be in contention once more in the summer after Tudor finishes his short-term contract.

However, the Argentine will not be the only option available for Spurs, who should have a wide variety of managers to pick from in the summer.

Pundit Richard Keys has questioned a potential Mauricio Pochettino return to Tottenham Hotspur as speculation continues to grow.

Igor Tudor’s latest appointment is clearly for the short term, with the former Juventus man’s current deal with Tottenham Hotspur set to expire in the summer.

That in itself has allowed for further speculation on who the next permanent managerial appointment will be for Spurs.

Several names have been thrown into the mix, with Roberto De Zerbi one to be considered for the managerial job at Tottenham, although the clear favourite to become the next Spurs boss seems to be Mauricio Pochettino.

Mauricio Pochettino warned to reject Tottenham return

Speaking on beIN Sports, Richard Keys shared his view on the possibility of Mauricio Pochettino returning to Tottenham Hotspur, urging the Argentine to stay away from the role.

He said: “If I was Pochettino, I would give that a wide berth. I would not go within a million miles of Tottenham again. I got Moyes going back to Everton, I understood that. It is not for me. Stay away from it. There is nothing to gain from going back.”

Keys added: “Robbie Keane’s name is being mentioned on the fringes. I’d like to see Tottenham have a go. Spurs won’t get into trouble. There’s only one [relegation] place you’re trying to avoid and it will be West Ham or Forest.”

MORE SPURS STORIES

Spurs return for Pochettino would not be unprecedented

Of course, in football, it is not entirely strange for managers to return to a club they had once departed from.

In the Premier League, we have seen Jose Mourinho leave Chelsea and return; we also have David Moyes with Everton, with both returns having a good impact.