Football London

Sean Dyche has been suggested as a candidate for the Spurs job if Igor Tudor doesn't see out the season as manager

As Sean Dyche emerges as favourite for the Tottenham Hotspur job, it's hard to ignore the Englishman's run-ins with the London side in years gone by. Dyche was sacked by Nottingham Forest in February but has been named as a potential candidate to replace Igor Tudor in north London if Spurs' board decided another change is needed for them.

It would represent a fourth Premier League managerial job for Dyche, who also managed Burnley and Everton in the top flight before his months-long stint at the City Ground. It was during that Everton spell that he put in an unexpected request to Spurs' then-manager Ange Postecoglou before a meeting between the two sides.

"[He is] my type of guy. Maybe we can crack a cold one open," said Dyche. The suggestion of a beer was a twist on the post-match tradition of a glass of red wine with rivals managers which former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson often enjoyed.

"I don’t know [Postecoglou] but I like what I’ve heard, and the way he’s speaking very honestly, he recently said that he wants to win," Dyche continued. "He said he doesn’t want to be known for how he plays, he wants to be known to win.

"I’m refreshed by that attitude for sure. That seems to be my type of guy."

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At the time of the request, Postecoglou's Spurs sat just outside the Premier League top four, having briefly topped the table after a 10-game unbeaten start. Two early goals would be enough for them to beat Dyche's Everton, with Richarlison and Son Heung-min on target before Andre Gomes pulled a goal back late on.

Spurs would end the season in fifth, two points shy of Champions League qualification. Postecoglou took them all the way in the Europa League the next season but was sacked before he could lead the team in Europe's premier club competition.

Thomas Frank took over in the summer of 2025 and secured progress to the latter stages of the Champions League but was dismissed for poor league results. His successor Tudor has been unable to inspire a turnaround, though, with four defeats in all competitions leaving them one point off the relegation zone and all but out of Europe after a 5-2 hammering away to Atletico Madrid.

Dyche honed his reputation as a firefighter when he saved Everton from the drop in 2023 and won more games than he lost with Forest after replacing Postecoglou at the City Ground. Despite that record, which brought the Nottingham club out of the bottom three, he was sacked in February after a goalless draw with bottom-of-the-table Wolves.

If Spurs decide to wait until after this weekend's meeting with Liverpool to sack Tudor and appoint Dyche, the latter would take on his former club in his first league game. Spurs and Forest sit one point apart going into this weekend, both just ahead of 18th-place West Ham.

A Premier League winner believes Tottenham are heading for relegation based on current form as the crisis deepens

Former Premier League defender Joleon Lescott has said Tottenham are firmly on course for relegation this season if their current trajectory continues. The club sits 16th in the table, one point above the relegation places with just nine matches remaining.

Igor Tudor's catastrophic tenure as Spurs manager suffered another devastating blow on Tuesday with a 5-2 thrashing at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. The north London outfit now face elimination from the last 16 unless they can produce an extraordinary turnaround in the reverse fixture.

Lescott, 43, featured on the latest instalment of the All Out Football podcast alongside Mirror Sport's Andy Dunn and offered a bleak evaluation of Spurs' outlook between now and May. After conceding four goals in the opening 22 minutes in Madrid, a crisis of confidence threatens to herald an unprecedented chapter in the club's history.

"Honestly, in terms of form, yeah," said former Manchester City and England defender Lescott when asked if Spurs are on the way to the Championship. "Because again, speaking about experience, none of their players have experienced this fight.

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"I know last season was bad, but they had a positive or a bonus of a distraction [winning the Europa League], like Europe was their kind of shining light in that season. Whereas this season now, we're talking about players and fans that don't know what it feels like to be in this fight.

"Like if you're saying you're a Forest or a West Ham, they go behind, their fans still support their team because they know they're likely going to go behind. Now we have to get behind them to get in front and stuff and fight behind that.

"Whereas Spurs fans now are like, 'Oh, this is nerve wracking'. And then players are like, 'Oh, I don't want that pass. I don't want to show for the ball there'. But it becomes very edgy potentially."

Lescott drew upon his personal experience of suffering relegation with Aston Villa in 2016, highlighting how "players go missing all of a sudden." He discussed the heightened influence pressure exerts on certain players' decision-making, with some potentially attempting to protect their individual standing.

"Say a forward where he's taken a shot when he's full of confidence, now it needs to be perfect," he continued. "Now I need to see the whole goal rather than half of the goal.

"And then as a defender, say for me, you're thinking, 'I don't want to play that ball into midfield in case it doesn't get there, and I'll go wide', but now the opportunity is gone. So there's so many elements that you probably don't realise when you're down there."

Tuesday's loss to Atletico represented yet another damning reflection of Spurs' campaign, and consequently Tudor's fledgling reign. The Croat tactician has suffered defeat in each of his four matches since taking charge, including two London derbies supporters would have hoped to win (against Fulham and Crystal Palace).

Injuries have regrettably hindered Tottenham's prospects, but the club's recent spending indicates they have the squad depth required to put up a stronger fight than what fans have seen so far. And Lescott is among those who believe the unthinkable could transpire by May as the threat of relegation looms larger.

Tottenham Hotspur have been sucked into a relegation battle, and Igor Tudor has been tasked with keeping them in the Premier League

Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville have disagreed on what Tottenham Hotspur need to do to avoid relegation from the Premier League. The Lilywhites could fall into the bottom three this weekend if West Ham and Nottingham Forest enjoy wins over Manchester City and Fulham, respectively, and they fail to beat Liverpool.

Speaking on The Overlap, Rooney pointed the finger at the players, describing their performances and attitude as an 'absolute disgrace'. The Manchester United legend suggested that the squad need someone like Roy Keane to 'batter' and 'put fear' into them.

Rooney said: "'Those players need to look at themselves, I think they have been an absolute disgrace, I do. The performances, the attitude, the lack of desire, the lack of fight, the lack of anything in them.

"I was watching the Palace game last week, and I really felt sorry for Tottenham fans. They are not even angry anymore, they are disappointed and sad.

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"Them players need to look at themselves; this is a disgrace," added Rooney. "I think they need someone to go in, like Roy, and batter them. They need some fear put into them."

Neville disagreed, claiming that Igor Tudor has already tried to take a similar approach. The Croatian will be hoping to pick up his first win as interim head coach when Spurs lock horns with Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

"I'm not sure, I am not sure they'll respond to that at all," replied the Manchester United legend. "Those players don't give two f**** about being shouted at.

"Tudor, I think, has given them a bit of a hard time in the public, and I don't think they have liked that at all. He has tried to go in and be a bit harder, more regimented and disciplined, it is not working; they are rejecting him.

"They will need someone to go in who has got more of a man-management ability."

Ian Wright agreed that Tudor is not the right man for the job. The Arsenal legend said: "You don’t want to see anybody get sacked but, when you see somebody who’s blatantly out of their depth, it’s uncomfortable.

"For him to make that decision, for that poor goalkeeper, for him to go into a game like that at a club like that to start, I don’t know what he’s seen in training. For me, Vicario is the number one, he plays in that game.

"You do that in another game for him because now, look at this guy Kinsky. That’s the biggest nightmare since the Liverpool goalkeeper."

Tottenham have extended their season ticket renewal period as the club battles against relegation from the Premier League to the Championship

Tottenham have extended their season ticket renewal window so supporters "have full clarity of next season" amid the threat of relegation from the Premier League.

Spurs would typically look to secure season ticket renewals well in advance of the new campaign, but have had to leave it open for an "extended period" with supporters understandably wanting confirmation of which division they will be watching.

Tottenham's decline has been dramatic with supporter frustration intensifying as the weeks have progressed.

Those on the Spurs side of north London are required to pay the second-highest price for a season ticket across the top tier, but they have not received value for money.

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Tottenham have secured just two victories from their 15 home fixtures this season, suffering nine defeats. Their most recent home triumph came against Burnley on December 6, and their latest match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a defeat to Crystal Palace, saw supporters departing in their thousands at the half time break.

Consequently, the club's hierarchy have had to afford fans additional time before committing to a season ticket holder.

An email to supporters read: "As previously communicated, General Admission Season Ticket renewals for 2026/27 open today (March 12). 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 period for 2026/27 will now remain open for an extended period until Sunday, June 7 to ensure fans have full clarity of next season before renewing."

The revised deadline is two weeks after the final match of the season against Everton at home, by which time Tottenham's Premier League fate will be clear.

Currently, they sit just a point above the relegation zone with nine fixtures left.

Tottenham's predicament is that they are the top-tier team in the poorest form, having failed to secure a win in their last 11 matches. They've already made a managerial change, with Thomas Frank being dismissed, but his successor Igor Tudor has had a nightmarish start in the dugout.

In the final matches of the campaign, Tottenham must face fellow relegation contenders Nottingham Forest and Leeds - encounters that could be crucial in deciding who avoids the drop. They also have a fixture against bottom-placed Wolves, who are currently 12 points adrift of safety.

Tottenham Hotspur are battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League and Wayne Rooney has given his verdict on the players who have dragged them down into the fight

Wayne Rooney has slammed the Tottenham Hotspur players amid their ongoing run of poor form that has put the club in danger of being relegated from the Premier League.

Spurs are currently in 16th place in the top-flight standings and just one point above the drop zone with nine matches left to play.

Spurs have lost 14 of their 29 Premier League matches this season, and went on to part ways with Thomas Frank last month before appointing Igor Tudor as his replacement.

Tudor was appointed on a caretaker basis until the end of the season, but has lost all four matches that he has taken charge of, including three in the top flight and one in the Champions League.

The most recent defeat was the 5-2 hammering at the hands of Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday night, which followed a 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace in the Premier League a few days earlier.

That run of form has led to increased speculation about Tudor’s future at Tottenham, with several candidates being linked as potential replacements, including former Everton and Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche.

Tottenham return to top-flight action this weekend, where they will face Liverpool at Anfield. Ahead of the fixture, Rooney has criticised the Spurs squad for their attitude in games.

“The players need to look at themselves, because I think they’ve been an absolute disgrace,” Rooney said on the Stick to Football podcast.

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“The performances, the attitude, the lack of desire, the lack of fight, the lack of anything in them.

“I was watching the Crystal Palace game, and I said it last week, I really felt sorry for Tottenham fans.

“I’m looking at Tottenham fans, and they’re sat there and they’re not even angry anymore, they’re just disappointed and sad.”

Tudor’s future has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks, despite only taking the job at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month on a caretaker basis until the end of the season.

Despite the rumours, Tudor is still expected to be in charge for Tottenham’s trip to Merseyside on Sunday to face Liverpool, with the 47-year-old speaking to the media in a pre-match press conference on Friday.

After that, Tottenham will face Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, where they will need to overturn a three-goal deficit in order to progress to the quarter-final.

Sky Sports pundit and Manchester United icon Gary Neville has delivered his verdict on Tottenham Hotspur's struggles as they look to avoid relegation from the Premier League

Gary Neville believes Tottenham Hotspur's relegation would be "very good for the Premier League". Spurs sit just one point above the bottom three with nine league fixtures remaining.

The Lilywhites' form has plummeted further under interim head coach Igor Tudor, who has lost his first four games in charge. Pressure has increased on the former Juventus and Lazio boss after Tuesday's 5-2 thrashing at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Tudor is now set to take his side to Anfield against Liverpool on Sunday, with Tottenham potentially finding themselves in the bottom three by that stage if West Ham and Nottingham Forest win their matches beforehand.

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And former Manchester United full-back turned pundit Neville has had his say on The Overlap podcast - sharing his view that Spurs suffering drop could be a good thing for the English top-flight.

He said: "I refuse to predict relegation. I hated it, the idea of seeing a club go down.

"But I must admit seeing Tottenham go down wouldn't be great for Tottenham fans and I think Tottenham are an amazing club, but it would be very good for the Premier League from a competitive perspective and the idea of Leeds staying up, of Sunderland staying up.

"I'll tell you what I was more worried about at the start of the season, that every club which came up was just going straight back down again.

"I think the Premier League doesn't necessarily need Tottenham to go down, but it needs clubs other than the ones that come up to go down.

"It would be sad to go down, but maybe they've had it coming."

Despite sharing his views on Spurs' potential drop into the Championship - the 51-year-old does not believe such a scenerio will materialise for the Lilywhites.

He added: "I don't think they will go down.

"If you're going to make another change, that for me will probably need to be today or tomorrow because you don't wait."

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois reached out to Tottenham's Antonin Kinsky on Instagram after the Spurs keeper was substituted in the first half of the Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid star Thibaut Courtois has revealed that he reached out to Tottenham' Hotspur goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky following his performance on Tuesday night in the Champions League, suggesting that the Atletico Madrid pitch was at fault.

Kinsky was brought in to replace Guglielmo Vicario for the Champions League last-16 first leg in Spain, but had a tough outing before being substituted after just 16 minutes.

His errant pass enabled the La Liga side to score within the first five minutes, and a defensive error soon made it 2-0.

Kinsky's worst moment of the evening occurred when he attempted a first-time pass, only to scuff his kick and present the ball to Julian Alvarez, who had an unguarded net to aim at.

In a ruthless move, Tottenham manager Igor Tudor then replaced Kinsky, bringing on Vicario for the rest of the match, which Spurs would go on to lose 5-2. The visibly upset goalkeeper immediately headed for the tunnel, reports the Mirror.

Courtois has since extended his support for Kinsky, arguing that the Wanda Metropolitano pitch has been problematic.

He stated: "I sent him a message on Instagram because it’s tough. In the end, it hasn’t happened to me as much as it has to him, but after the Ajax match here at home, I also took quite a bit of flak."

The Real Madrid goalkeeper later stated: "It’s mentally tough to keep going, you need the support of your team, to feel good again in training and to play well.

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"Ultimately, I think the pitch is causing more problems, not just for Tottenham or Atletico but for many teams that have played there."

Tudor finds himself under immense pressure having suffered defeat in all four of his fixtures in charge, prompting speculation regarding his future.

The Croatian acknowledges he made an error in introducing Kinsky to the starting line-up, though believed prior to kick-off it represented the correct decision.

He said: "After seeing what happened, for sure it was the wrong decision. But it was, for me, the right decision to do, thinking before, because the team changed competition and it was, in the moment, right to do.

"Unfortunately, what happened happened. I’ve never changed my goalkeeper after 14 minutes. It’s not easy, it happened."

Courtois did question Tudor's choice to withdraw Kinsky following his second mistake, suggesting that the young shot-stopper "may have been able to regain some of the confidence he had lost with a few great saves."

Ange Postecoglou has been somewhat scathing in his review of Tottenham's fortunes since he left, and it isn't the first time he's refused to hold back

Former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou didn't hold back when assessing the club's current fortunes in light of recent events. Spurs' season hit a new low on Tuesday when the club conceded four goals in 22 minutes en route to a 5-2 Champions League loss at Atletico Madrid.

It's undoubtedly left some fans wishing Postecoglou was never shown the door and replaced by Thomas Frank, barely a fortnight after winning the Europa League. Incumbent Igor Tudor has lost each of his four games in charge, but the writing was on the wall for some.

Postecoglou ended the club's 17-year search for major silverware, while Spurs also recorded their worst Premier League finish after placing 17th. But the 60-year-old seemingly saw the hard times that were coming, and football.london explores some of the other contentious comments he's made about Tottenham since departing.

'Not surprised' at current struggles

Speaking to TNT Sports about whether he was surprised to see Tottenham in their current predicament, Postecoglou responded: "No, I wouldn't say that.

"I am still invested in the club because I have an attachment to those players, I worked with them for two years. The last time I interacted with the fans there was 200,000 on the streets of London. It pains me to see it. It definitely looks like the players are fairly lost at the moment. There's obvious pressure there. It's a real difficult time.

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"It all manifested itself with what happened last night. It's almost the worst case scenario, you're playing a side away from home, Atletico, who never drop below a performance level of two. They're always at a really strong level. It was a horror start for them."

Antonin Kinsky had an even more difficult game than most after a frenzied start in Madrid saw him hooked after 17 minutes. It was the latest indicator that all is not well under Tudor, with reports since emerging of player unrest in north London.

Spurs 'not a big club'

Postecoglou's fiery nature came to play during a recent cameo on The Overlap, where he gave his candid assessment of the club. No longer under pressure to keep up appearances with his former bosses, the ex-Celtic chief hinted at the restrictions that prevented him (and continue to prevent the club) from truly becoming part of the English elite.

"Obviously, they've [Spurs] built an unbelievable stadium, unbelievable training facilities," said the Australian. "But when you look at the expenditure, particularly in the wage structure, they're not a big club. I saw that, because when we were trying to sign players, we weren't in the market for those players."

Asked by Jamie Carragher about whether he felt there was a mentality issue at the club, Postecoglou "100 per cent" agreed. He even used the term "Spursy" to summarise the lack of self-belief that permeated throughout his two-year spell.

"That was the thing I was trying to break," he continued. "My whole thing about winning something in my second year, I was doing that for the club. Nobody internally would dare say that because they were too scared, they'd been close a few times.

"Then you break that by winning something and what do you do? You tear it all up and you start again. That's the curiosity, what are you trying to achieve?"

Emotional farewell

Despite stating he was eager to return for a third season, Postecoglou was shown the exit by Spurs in early June 2025. And the Aussie gave a heartfelt account of his time at the club not long after it was confirmed he'd be leaving.

"When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur my overriding emotion is one of pride," he wrote. "The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget.

"That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible.

"We have also laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them."

Those foundations have essentially crumbled at the first hurdle, with Tottenham's Champions League campaign the only source of pride at present. Needless to say, things are worse now, two managers down the line, than they were when Postecoglou was sacked.

Postecoglou signed off his farewell by thanking certain figures at the club and the fans, adding he "always felt that they wanted me to succeed." And there are more than likely a few who would like to see him return in an effort to do so again.

Ange Postecoglou was recently asked about Tottenham Hotspur's struggles 10 months after winning the Europa League with the north Londoners

Ange Postecoglou took a step back from his recent role, as the ex-Tottenham Hotspur manager tempered previous remarks he made about his former club.

The Australian is taking a break from the touchline following his gruelling spell at Nottingham Forest, but joined UEFA's Technical Observer Panel last year.

Postecoglou was dispatched to Paris by his new employers to observe PSG's clash with Chelsea - but took time out from work to discuss the difficulties of his former club.

The 60-year-old guided Spurs to a Europa League triumph last season and secured them a place in the Champions League.

However, he was sacked by the club at the end of last season shortly after the victory. Not long after his replacement Thomas Frank was sacked, Postecoglou said Tottenham do not "act like a big club" when it comes to wages and transfers.

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After watching PSG beat Chelsea 5-2, the ex-Australia manager appeared to row back on some of his comments.

Quizzed by Joe Cole about the lack of investment on TNT Sports, Postecoglou said: "That's a broader argument but the reality of it is they've got to deal with it now, that's the most important thing.

"The football club, I said it a couple of weeks ago, wasn't behaving to me like a big football club in terms of the kind of players it was attracting. But it is a big football club, we saw that last year.

"There was a couple of hundred thousand people in London going nuts there and I felt it, how big a club it is. But in the Premier League it's a slippery slope once you take your eye off the ball with certain things. But all that is not important right now.

"What's important now is where they are in the league, they need to maintain their Premier League status which is obviously paramount to what they want to build. Those kind of questions you kind of go, 'okay, we want some real direction here'.

"I think it's pretty clear what Tottenham fans want – they want the team to play a certain way, they want success, every team wants success."

He also offered some guidance for beleaguered manager Tudor, insisting the Croatian has to instil some belief into his side. Postecoglou added: "It's hard for me to comment from the outside but, for me, it's about instilling some belief, show them the kind of players they are, not that they can be, that they are, what they've already shown."

Fast forward to this week, Spurs were resoundingly defeated in a disastrous 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, leaving their position in Europe's premier competition perilously uncertain.

Tudor, who has suffered four consecutive defeats since succeeding Thomas Frank, is under significant pressure as the club stumbles into a Premier League relegation battle.

This Sunday, they travel to Anfield in the Premier League to face Liverpool. The fixture looks like an ominous one, given Spurs' recent form and the fact they will be without Micky van de Ven for for the clash due to suspension.

Despite being sacked by Nottingham Forest earlier this season, Sean Dyche has been tipped to potentially replace Igor Tudor as Tottenham Hotspur interim manager

Sean Dyche is reportedly aware that Tottenham Hotspur have an interest in appointing him as their next temporary manager, should Igor Tudor be swiftly dismissed. Spurs are currently reeling from a 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in midweek.

Tudor was appointed by Tottenham last month as their interim boss until the end of the season, and has overseen defeats in each of his four matches in charge.

As a result, there has been speculation about Tudor’s future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Dyche emerging as a potential replacement.

A report in The Sun has claimed that Dyche is aware of interest from Tottenham in potentially appointing him as a replacement for Tudor until the end of the season.

Spurs are battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League, as they currently lie in 16th place in the table and just one point above the drop zone.

Tottenham also have an uphill task to remain in the Champions League with the three-goal deficit from Atletico from the first leg.

The aforementioned report goes on to claim that Dyche is a candidate to replace Tudor at Tottenham, but the north London club would still only want to appoint the former Everton and Nottingham Forest boss on an interim basis until the end of the season.

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A separate report from The Independent has claimed that Tottenham are currently considering appointing Dyche as a replacement for Tudor, whose future remains increasingly uncertain.

Spurs will face Liverpool in the Premier League this weekend, and Tudor is already expected to be in charge for the fixture after it was confirmed that the 47-year-old will speak to the media in the pre-match press conference on Friday.

Tudor was asked about his future at Tottenham and the difficulties he’s faced since taking charge of the club.

“It is not a topic for me,” Tudor said on Tuesday. “It is not about my job, it is about how to help the team. It will be always be about that.”

He added: “I recognise what we are and which problems we have. I recognise that every game, something happens. Sometimes it is very difficult to explain.

“I see also the wish of the players to do the right things. We started good, let's say. These two or three minutes, I feel it during the game.

“These things, when they happen, what I said before, in the moment where we are now, unfortunately, it is like that.

“Even these slippery things happen, it explains the moment, because they didn't do it. The pitch was the same for both teams.”