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Igor Tudor is getting in early with his press conference on Thursday ahead of Tottenham's Premier League trip to Fulham on Sunday afternoon.

The interim Spurs boss will be looking for a positive reaction from his players after last weekend's north London derby defeat to Arsenal, which broke his record of winning his first game at each of his previous five clubs. Tudor's injury-ravaged side kept it tight in the first half with the scoreline 1-1 at half-time but the visitors ran away with it in the second period at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Now Spurs will make the trip across the capital on Sunday for another derby to a stadium in Craven Cottage that has not brought much joy over the years. However, with Tottenham 16th in the table and just four points off the drop zone they need to find a way to get back on track and grab points.

Tudor has defenders Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso back in training and will be asked for an update on some of the club's long-term injury absentees such as Dejan Kulusevski.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold is among those putting the questions to the Croatian. Scroll down for his latest updates from the press conference at Hotspur Way.

Here's every single word the Tottenham Hotspur head coach said in Thursday's press conference ahead of the Premier League match at Fulham

Igor Tudor delivered a few updates at his press conference on Thursday ahead of Tottenham's Premier League trip to Fulham this weekend.

The interim Spurs boss needs his team to bounce back after last weekend's north London derby defeat to Arsenal, which broke his run of winning his first game at each of his previous five clubs. Now Tudor's side are set to travel across the capital on Sunday for another derby at Craven Cottage

With Tottenham languishing in 16th in the table and just four points off the drop zone the Lilywhites need to find a way to get back on track and grab points. Tudor has defenders Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso back in training and gave an update on some of the club's long-term injury absentees in Dejan Kulusevski and Destiny Udogie.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to the Croatian. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at Hotspur Way.

Any injury updates? Are Porro and Danso available?

Yeah, yeah, that's right [Porro and Danso are available]. No other issues, small problem for Micky with his small toe. But he's okay, he will be in [the squad].What did you learn from the Arsenal game?

Nothing much to tell. We already comment after the game what kind of game it was, what the moments was in this moment, that moment. So, not much to speak even in this moment, which is a very particular moment. Less we speak (about the game) better it is. So, it's all focused on the daily work in the training, to climb up on the table, you know. To work on performance, to work on all things. So, less we speak better it is.

Is the job as hard as you expected or a bit more difficult?

Probably yes, probably yes [more difficult]. I agree with you.

I know you're not here to have fun, but it's a tough job you have?

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

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Are Champions League games, games that you maybe wish you didn't have? How will you approach the Champions League?

I don't think too much about the draw. If you ask me whether I expect the draw tomorrow, it won't change for me nothing. In the moment we are, we can also discuss about what you said, but in other ways, it's a difficult competition to play, everyone wants to play.

So, the problem is the lack of numbers of players, the amount of players we have in the team, that is the problem. Because if you need to play every three days with 10, 12, 13 and then you get, you know, that's the problem. Not that we play in the Champions League or not.

Also, it's not about only spending physical energy but also mental energy, every game for us in the league, it's a final. So, it's not an ideal situation, but it's how it is.

What sort of battle do you expect to get from Fulham?

Yeah, yeah. A very good team with a coach who is there for a long period. So, a very recognisable team. The way they do things, a very serious team. It's always difficult to beat them, so it will be tough. But, as I said before, we need to be focused on us and what to do because we need to make better our performance in both ways.

Might you experiment with the formation?

I don't know. I don't know because we are going to see when they (Porro and Danso) are back, how they are back, what are the other players. So, this is work to recognise what this team can do. You know, because when you start to work, you start, but then it's a game to show you how is the real situation of the team.

You know, in a physical condition, because it's fantastic to go to press up and that's when I speak about style. That's also one part of the style, how you want to be without the ball. But then, if you have too much problems (at the) back, you need to think about the style. Is it the right style? Is it the right way, you can call it how you want.

So, I need to be smart to understand deeper the moment and the way how to take the points. Even not looking to the style now at this moment. The style needs to be in the second moment, because now it's a question of life and death. If I can say that in that way, sportingly. You can use that term.Do you think changing habits is more psychological? And if so, how as a manager do you change mentality?

Both things. I believe that the mentality changes by training. By doing the right things there and then to have enough training sessions that you can transmit this thing to your team that on Sunday this can be seen from the fans on the stadium. So, that's the key. Hard work in other ways, there is no other possibility.

Tottenham are a team that haven't been used to winning since the turn of the year, how do you turn that around? Is it all now about results rather than performance?

Yeah, I agree with you. Now, yes. Now, there is not too much time to think about performance or style, as I said before. As I said, because of this, all this put together, I don't want to repeat myself but it's the question with which every game needs to be prepared in that way. How we can take these points one way or the other way. Just that needs to be got. Unfortunately, it's, for me, very clear.

I'm also not that kind of a coach who doesn't want to cure, let's say, style. Let's say how we perform, what we do, but now, at this moment, it's not possible to think about these things.

Your predecessor didn't like to use the word 'relegation' when asked about it. Have you used that word to your players? Have you said, if we're not careful, we might get relegated?

No, I never used it, but not because it's something to scary, or it's a danger word, or we won't sleep. It's about that we need to refocus on ourselves. I also see the same way I speak with my players. To be focused on ourselves, on the training. That's the only thing we can change. So there is nothing to think about. The future, or the points, even. The points come as a consequence of the training and the game. That's the focus. That's the main and only focus we need to have.

You go into clubs, turn them around and rescue them, in a sense, is this the biggest of those jobs you've had, because of the size of Tottenham and financial implications?

Probably, if I see, if I recognise the difficulties there are, probably, yes. It's even a bigger challenge, even a bigger motivation to do this and we do it. But I agree with you.

You've got some players back but who are the next ones back, is Destiny Udogie close and how is Dejan Kulusevski doing?

It's a weekly basis. When they come, they come. We need to be focused. On the way, also, how they come back into the team. Also, the main important thing is, in time, they are recovering to put them in good condition so when they come back, they are in good shape. Otherwise, it's a problem. But we are working. This is an important part of our job.

You know Dejan from Juventus, have you spoken to him about how difficult the past year has been for him?

Yes. I know him from there. Fantastic player, fantastic guy. Difficult moment. He's had really big problems, as you know, here. But he's positive. And also the doctors are positive. So we'll see, next week, how it's going.

Another person you know well, Antonio Conte, have you spoken to him about Tottenham before or since you joined?

No, no, no. I didn't have time and he's also working so we didn't speak.

What did you make of his time at Tottenham and how it ended and the way he spoke at his final press conference?

Yeah? No, I don't remember. I don't remember mine let alone his press conferences.

On Kulusevski, it sounds like you might have him back this season?

We hope so. In this moment, I don’t know.

Do the players know the situation they are in and that you need them to fight dirty?

The last part you say? What?

Do you have to win ugly rather than play beautiful football?

Ah, OK, I think, yes. We are working in that direction. In Italy they use the term you know have the mentality of a small team. We use in Italy that is the key, to always have motivation when you play big teams, so that’s the start of course and we work a lot on that. The are aware, of course they are aware.

Have you been given any explanation as to why Tottenham have so many injuries?

I have my thoughts, I have opinions here, but I keep them to myself.

You used Joao Palhinha as a centre-back in a back three, could you go to a back four? Did you consider that for Arsenal and could you consider it for Fulham?

We will see. We will see what our options are.

You don’t have many players, but you do have Solanke, Kolo Muani, Richarlison, Tel, are you trying to work out how to fit as many of them as possible because goals will be key?

Yeah, that's the main job to do, also how you can have enough offensive players but not suffer in the back. How many offensive players can you afford to not concede too much? It's a particular moment also for understanding. Some coming from injuries, or you don't know, some player has some problems, so sometimes it's not easy to make choices, but you watch, with your staff and you choose. That’s the job you’re paid.

There is a clip after the Arsenal game of Micky van de Ven and you are giving instructions and there is captions saying he has ignored you, but if you watch it, you can see he is not…

Yeah, [the press officer] show me now so it’s a video from one fan yeah? So, I usually need to comment on the fan's video? I saw that, but it was not an instruction to Micky, it was an instruction to the team to go up. It was about the team coming up and what we were speaking before. We want to go up because we want to have this style where we press high, but in this moment it’s too much for them, so that’s why I was a little frustrated on that, but this is part of it.

A lot of fans would not have seen the clip but seen the headline and now they are thinking Micky van de Ven is not committed and disrespecting you?

No, no. If you watch carefully now, you see that I don't speak with him because after that one advice, I said to him, come closer and he came closer. In that moment, I stood there like this, it was all for the defence to go up. We didn't even speak about this me and Micky because there was nothing to speak about. He’s a fantastic guy, a very good professional and he would never do these things.

Joao Palhinha returns to one of his former clubs. You played him in defence last weekend, but more comfortable in midfield? How much are you considering where to play him and also he is a big leader isn’t he?

Yes, big leader and important for the dressing room all these skills – not just as a player, but as a human being. Yeah, he played there and it’s not his natural position. He did something else for the team in this particular moment and I know he did his best for that/ We put a line of four for these last game to protect other weakness we maybe have in these moments against teams. You always need to do some adjustments you believe in moments are best for the team. In this particular moment some of us need to play in a role that’s not his best position.

Igor Tudor has been speaking ahead of Tottenham's Premier League trip across London to face Fulham on Sunday

Igor Tudor has confirmed that Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso will be fit to face Fulham.

The Tottenham duo have recently been missing with hamstring and toe injuries, respectively, but they are in line to feature in Sunday's London derby at Craven Cottage.

The Croatian has also provided a positive update on Micky van de Ven, who missed training at Hotspur Way on Wednesday.

Tudor said: "Yes [Porro and Danso are back and available]. It's small problem for Micky in his small finger, but he’s okay."

Spurs will seek to record their first win under their new interim boss and they're also out for revenge after losing 2-1 at home to Fulham back in November.

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Captain Cristian Romero remains suspended and will not return to the fold until Tottenham's trip to Liverpool next month.

Tudor was also asked about the availability of Dejan Kulusevski as Sweden boss Graham Potter claimed earlier this week that he hoped to have both 'Deki' and Alexander Isak fit for next month's World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine.

The former Juventus, Lazio and Marseille boss said on the 25-year-old: "We hope so but in this moment we don't know."

Dominic Solanke has also trained this week after starting on the bench against Arsenal due to a sore throat.

Tudor was also asked for his assessment now the dust has settled following the 4-1 North London Derby defeat.

In his view, not much has changed and Spurs need to continue working to obtain results, he added: "It's very tough but I don't change my opinion, it's about daily work. We need to be focused on us, what we can do, less thinking about others, that's always good.

"I don't think too much about the draw, it doesn't change for me nothing. It's a beautiful competition to play, the problem is the lack of numbers.

"It's not also about spending physical energy but also mental energy because every league game is a final for us."

He remarked when quizzed on Sunday's opponents: "Fulham are a very serious team. It's difficult to beat them."

Tottenham attacking midfielder Dejan Kulusevski has not played this season after undergoing surgery on his patella last May

Sweden boss Graham Potter hopes to have Dejan Kulusevski and Alexander Isak fit for their nation's crunch World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine.

The duo are currently sidelined, though there are also fears that the contest at the end of March will come too soon for both players.

Kulusevski is yet to play for Spurs this season after undergoing knee surgery last May and Potter has issued an update on the pair's possible availability for the crucial matchup.

He said: "Right now we're just keeping our fingers crossed and hopefully we can get some of those guys back. But if not, we have to find a solution with the guys that are available."

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Speaking at the start of the month, recently-sacked Tottenham boss Thomas Frank indicated Kulusevski's return was not imminent.

It's been a rollercoaster rehabilitation process for the former Juventus starlet and Spurs are reluctant to put pressure on the 25-year-old despite the severity of their current situation in the Premier League.

Frank said: "It's a complicated injury, where it’s important to make sure there’s no pain in the knee. That’s why he got an injection and it hopefully will help. So in three to four weeks’ time, he’ll be on the grass pain-free."

Kulusevski has not played for Sweden since November 2024 when he scored twice and assisted in the 6-0 demolition of Azerbaijan.

He also captained the Scandinavians in five of their six UEFA Nations League matches, highlighting his importance to the national team fold.

Spurs could do with having Kulusevski back to provide creativity and work ethic in the final third but at this stage, there appears to be no guarantees he'll be back soon having recently been spotted on a flight to Barcelona where he was due to undergo a medical checkup.

Unfortunately for Potter, Isak is also some distance from returning after suffering a fibula fracture which required surgery back in December in the 2-1 win at Tottenham.

Arne Slot recently said of the £125million striker: “With Alex, I think he has been on the pitch now, not with his football shoes but with his running shoes, for the first time this week, so that will still take a while as well before he is ready to play for us again.”

UEFA have published the financial results of clubs for 2025, and it's a shocking state of affairs for Tottenham Hotspur, who recorded a staggering loss despite recording the ninth-biggest revenue in Europe

Tottenham Hotspur recorded the third biggest pre-tax financial loss of all teams in Europe in 2025, despite soaring in terms of revenue.

UEFA's annual European Club Finance and Investment Landscape report has been published, with details on the 10 clubs with the biggest losses last season. Spurs are third in the list when it comes to losses, with the north London outfit posting a £129million pre-tax deficit.

Given UEFA's report does not include details of club finances, it is unclear as to exactly how Spurs have recorded such a pre-tax loss, only surpassed by Chelsea (£342m) and Lyon (£170m). Spurs' loss is also a marked increase on the £27m deficit they recorded the season prior.

Tottenham contrastingly ranked ninth-highest in terms of overall revenue for the year, boasting earnings of £555m compared to the £536m they posted the year before. Interestingly, Spurs also ranked ninth in terms of revenue for 2023/24.

The report reads: "Financial losses commonly occur when sporting performance falls short of expectations. Results before tax also vary considerably due to year-by-year fluctuations in transfer profits.

"The UEFA club monitoring process assesses clubs over a three-year period, allowing these effects to be smoothed out.

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"While a number of adjustments are made between statutory reported losses and UEFA’s football earnings assessment, the top ten list this year features a number of clubs that have recently been sanctioned."

One explanation for a pre-tax loss could come in the form of Spurs' performances on the pitch in 2024/25. While they captured a Europa League title under Ange Postecoglou, the club struggled domestically - sinking to a 17th place finish in the Premier League standings.

That poor run of form bled into 2025/26, despite high hopes for the club under Thomas Frank, who was appointed as Postecoglou's successor in June off the back of success with Brentford.

Fate ultimately had other plans for the Dane, who lasted just eight months in his post before he was sacked by the board earlier this month, following a winless Premier League run of eight matches, as Spurs sat 16th on the table.

Igor Tudor has stepped in as interim head coach for the remainder of the season, although it remains to be seen whether the Croatian will be able to turn the tide in such a short space of time.

His debut with the club landed in the form of Sunday's North London Derby, in which, Spurs suffered a 4-1 loss to Arsenal on home turf. Up next for Tudor and Spurs is a clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage come Sunday, March 1.

Igot Tudor will be looking over his shoulder all the while Mauricio Pochettino continues to be linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur have already been dealt a slight blow to their hopes of appointing Mauricio Pochettino at the end of the season. The United States Men's National Team head coach was one of several potential candidates for the previously vacant head coach position, but the Lilywhites decided to bring in Igor Tudor on a temporary basis instead.

If Spurs had gone for Pochettino, they would have likely had to cough up an eye-watering compensation fee. According to the BBC, the United States Soccer Federation would be entitled to 'one of the biggest financial compensation fees in football history' if Pochettino leaves to take a new job before the World Cup.

The United States are, of course, co-hosting this summer's tournament with Canada and Mexico. Bayern Munich coughed up £21million to prise Julian Nagelsmann from RB Leipzig in 2021 before Chelsea forked out a similar fee a year or so later to lure Graham Potter from Brighton.

Fortunately for Tottenham, the Argentine's contract is currently set to expire after the World Cup, making him available on a free transfer. However, there's a problem.

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The USMNT don't play their final group stage match until June 26. The round of 16 will then take place between July 4 and July 7, with the quarter-finals between July 9 and July 11, the semi-finals between July 14 and July 15, and the final on July 19.

A week or so later, Tottenham are set to play Sydney FC and Chelsea in the 2026 Sydney Super Cup on July 29 and August 1, respectively. The Lilywhites are yet to release their full pre-season fixture schedule, but last year, they got the ball rolling on July 19.

While it's unlikely the co-hosts will go the distance at the World Cup, Spurs would have to consider whether Pochettino and his coaching staff would want a break. If Tottenham were to secure his signature, either those who didn't represent their country over the summer would begin for pre-season without a head coach or the Argentine would have to rush to Hotspur Way unprepared.

As it stands, Pochettino is currently focused on leading the USMNT into the World Cup. However, his previous comments about Tottenham speak volumes about his affection for the club.

Speaking to Sky Sports in March 2025, Pochettino admitted that he would like to return to Spurs. He said: "When I left the club, I always remember one interview I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham.

"I am in the USA, so I am not going to talk about that now - but what I said then I still, after six years or five years, feel in my heart. Yes, I would like one day to come back."

In an interview with Jake Humphrey on the High Performance Podcast earlier this month, Pochettino fanned the flames. The former Spurs boss said: "To win a Europa League, that the team won [under Ange Postecoglou], is good, but it’s not enough.

"It is not enough to challenge for the Carabao Cup, or the FA Cup, or the Europa League, or the Conference [League]. It’s a club that should be, or needs to be, because the fans, what they expect is to be in the Champions League, fighting for the Champions League, trying to believe that you can win the Champions League and also fighting for the Premier League and believing that you can win the Premier League."

Later in the podcast, Pochettino was asked what former club means the most to him. The former Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Southampton gaffer had no doubt in his mind.

"It is very simple: Tottenham," he replied. "Still, the people on the street, the fans of Tottenham, really show the love and the appreciation, and I think that is why it’s so special."

It's time for a new episode of Talking Tottenham with our Spurs correspondents Alasdair Gold and Ryan Taylor

Igor Tudor needs help at Tottenham Hotspur and the cavalry finally appears to be riding out of the treatment room.

The Croatian came into a tough situation at Spurs in taking over from Thomas Frank and inheriting a squad of just 13 fit outfield players for his first game against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon. While Tudor's men went into the break level at 1-1, their north London rivals ran away with the game in the second half to record a 4-1 victory and end the 47-year-old's run of winning his debut game at his previous five clubs.

Tudor will have been buoyed though by the return to training this week of right-back Pedro Porro and central defender Kevin Danso, who will give him natural defenders in the backline after having to crowbar Joao Palhinha and Archie Gray into it as a centre-back and right wing-back respectively.

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Porro in particular will bring a lot to Tottenham's attack as well and provide the likes of Dominic Solanke, Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison with the crosses and diagonal balls to get the goals to fire Tudor's men up the table from their current precarious spot in 16th.

Our Spurs correspondents Alasdair Gold and Ryan Taylor spoke about the duo's return in the new episode of their podcast Talking Tottenham as well as plenty more about what's going on at the club right now and what's to come in the week ahead.

You can listen to the podcast version of the show by heading right here or watch it recorded live on YouTube by going right here.

Spurs are set to find out their opponents in the Champions League round of 16 with the draw coming at the end of this week

Tottenham Hotspur's route in the Champions League is starting to clear ahead of Friday's draw for the round of 16.

New interim head coach Igor Tudor has plenty of experience in Europe as a player and as a manager, having also coached Juventus at the Club World Cup last summer, and now he will take charge of Spurs in their last-16 ties to be played next month.

The Croatian is hoping to make a quick impact in the Premier League after replacing Thomas Frank but will also be keen to also make a splash in the Champions League as he looks to put himself in the frame for the permanent job in N17 or catch the attention of other clubs in the summer.

Tottenham's top four finish in the big Champions League table meant they bypassed the play-off stage this month and have been watching on and waiting to see who will be their possible opponents in Friday's draw, which begins at 11am UK time. The north London side's high league phase finish also means they will play their first game away and the second at home at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in both the round of 16 and, if they progress, the quarter-finals.

The nature of the draw meant that Spurs would play one of four teams in the last 16 from initially Juventus, Galatasaray, Atletico Madrid and Club Brugge.

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Spurs fans first knew they would not be heading to Bruges as Atletico confirmed their place in the last-16 following Tuesday night's game in against Club Brugge.

Then the other play-off game concerning Tottenham, on Wednesday night in Turin, Galatasaray went in holding a big 5-2 lead in the tie against Juventus.

But the Italian's came back in a Champions League classic after 10-man Juve clawed back the first-leg deficit to take the game to extra-time. However, Victor Osimhen's effort before the interval during extra-time handed the Turkish giants the advantage before Baris Alper Yilmaz rubber-stamped their place in the next round.

Atletico and Galatasaray will face either Spurs or Liverpool in the last 16 when Friday's draw is made.

All three potential opponents contained narratives with Juventus being Tudor's old side and Atletico being Conor Gallagher's former team and he played for them in the league phase while the Madrid side's boss Diego Simeone has previously publicly declared his desire to sign Tottenham captain Cristian Romero.

Spurs also struggled in Istanbul against Galatasaray, another of Tudor's former clubs, last year in the Europa League, with Will Lankshear and Dominic Solanke scoring in a 3-2 defeat while the former was sent off.

The dates for the two last 16 away and home times will be on March 10-11 and 17-18.

If the current Tottenham Hotspur head coach needs an opinion on the north London club he will certainly get one from one of his friends

If Igor Tudor requires a very candid view on life inside Tottenham Hotspur then he need only turn to his good friend Antonio Conte.

Tudor has quickly found out all about north London derbies and Spurs' injury hell in his opening week at the club and after the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal the Croatian looked like a man who had been slapped in the face by the reality of the situation he faces at the 16th-placed club with just 13 available outfield players in his opening training sessions.

If the 47-year-old is looking for someone to talk to about the rather unique experience of being a manager in N17 after taking over from Thomas Frank then he might just turn to one of his team-mates for almost a decade and close friends - Antonio Conte.

The duo won Serie A titles and reached a Champions League final together after Tudor joined Juventus from Hajduk Split in 1998 having helped Croatia finish third at the World Cup that summer.

Back in 2022 the two crossed paths as managers when Tottenham took on Tudor's Marseille in the Champions League and ahead of that game Conte said: "Igor Tudor is a friend, we played together for many years in Juventus. We lifted trophies together, at the same time, we also lost trophies together.

"I’ve known him a long time. He’s a really good guy, a strong person, also, as a player, he was really strong. The last time I saw him was when he was assistant coach at Juventus with Andrea Pirlo. He’s a good friend. Sometimes, we message on the phone.

“Football... the time is going so fast. We’re not so young. When you start to see on the bench your old team-mates it means you are becoming old! I am really happy to see him on the bench in an important club in Europe like Marseille. He did very well last season in Verona and yeah, he’s doing a really good job. I wish for him the best, apart from these two games against us!"

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Now Tudor is is in Conte's old dugout seat as the interim head coach at Spurs, looking to save them from a relegation battle and the former Juventus centre-back will be learning quickly about how the north London club works, even if he is surrounded by different people than the Italian was back then.

Conte led Spurs to a fourth-place finish in his first season before things fell apart in his second campaign, amid various factors, and Tudor would likely have seen or heard about the current Napoli coach's furious blast at the club and his players in his final press conference after a 3-1 lead with 15 minutes to go became a draw at Southampton.

"The worst situation is what was happening on the pitch. What has been happening in the last few months, what is happening in my second season," he told football.london that day. "I think that it's the right moment to speak because I think that after this performance, for me this is unacceptable.

"We are winning 3-1, in control of the game and you are able to concede two goals and to risk, because also Fraser [Forster] made a fantastic save in one situation. I think it's much better to go into the problem, because the problem is that for another time we showed that we are not a team.

"We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don't want to help each other and don't put their heart."

When another reporter asked Conte if his uncertain future at the club only added to the situation, the Italian fully boiled over into this lengthy epic, angry rant before leaving the room.

"You are finding an alibi, another alibi!" he snarled. "You try to find an excuse for the players. OK, continue to do this, to find an excuse for the players. You do only this! You do only this. Excuses for the players. 'But the players, maybe, my future, then we lost confidence, they lost spirit, they lost being a team'. Excuses. Excuses. Excuse. Try to protect them every time.

"Bah. Come on, come on, come on. We are professional. The club pay us a lot of money. The players receive money, me receive money, you understand? Not to find excuse or not show spirit or show a sense of belonging or don't show a sense of responsibility because we are showing this. For me this is unacceptable because for me this is the first time in my career to see a situation like this. Until now I wasn't able to change, not to change but compare to last season the situation went to become worse.

"Why? Because they are used to it here, they are used to it. They don't play for something important yeah. They don't want to play under pressure, they don't want to play under stress. It is easy in this way. Tottenham's story is this. 20 years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stay here? I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench. You risk to disrupt the figure of the manager and to protect the other situation in every moment.

"Until now I try to hide the situation but now no because I repeat I don't want to see what I have seen today because this is unacceptable and also unacceptable for the fans. They follow us, pay the ticket and to see the team another time to have this type of performance is unacceptable. We have to think a lot about this.

"I said that I wanted to see the fire, not that I have seen. It is different. I said that I want to see the fire in their eyes, in their hearts. I want to see the right spirit. Ok. Not only in the training session, on the pitch. Because here you have to make the difference. And I am not saying this. And until now I try to hide the situation but now, there are 10 games to go and some people think we can fight. Fight for what with his spirit, this attitude, this commitment? What? For seventh, eighth, 10th place? I am not used to this position. I’m really upset and everyone has to take their responsibility.

"Not only the club, the manager and the staff. The players have to be involved in this situation because it is time to change this situation if Tottenham want to change. If they want to continue in this way, they can change the manager, a lot of managers, but the situation cannot change. Believe me."

And with that Conte was gone from the room and a few days later from Tottenham. That top four finish in 2022 has not been matched since, although Ange Postecoglou did manage to lead Spurs to the Europa League trophy last year before being sacked like Conte not long after.

The Australian delivered his verdict on the club's problems in recent weeks in his interview with The Overlap podcast and Conte may well have just let his friend Tudor know precisely what his thoughts are in a more private manner in the past fortnight.

Few people know what working inside Tottenham Hotspur is really like than those tasked with managing it.

The decision has been made over the first two of the NFL teams will play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium later this year

Two of the NFL teams who will play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium later this year have now been named.

On Wednesday, the NFL announced that the Jacksonville Jaguars and Washington Commanders would be the two participating home teams for the 2026 NFL London games. The two games are scheduled to be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium which has become the home of the sport in the UK as the only purpose-built stadium for the NFL outside of north America.

The Commanders' and Jaguars' opponents, along with the game dates and kick-off times, will be announced when the full 2026 NFL schedule is released this spring.

Tottenham's NFL deal was extended in 2023 until the end of the 2029/30 season and one of former chairman Daniel Levy's dreams was to have a double-header day with Spurs playing a Premier League game at lunchtime and then the grass pitch withdrawing for the artificial surface underneath to host an NFL encounter later that evening.

Levy's other hope was to have a London NFL franchise based full-time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium one day alongside Spurs. There are hurdles galore to be jumped over before any NFL franchise could exist outside the USA, but the Premier League club have placed themselves in pole position to have one if that ever happens, with some experts tipping it to be a possibility within a decade.

In the mean time the next logical aim would be for a Super Bowl to be played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and having the game in London is an idea that gained approval last year from the owner of the Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones.

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Former Super Bowl winner and now Sky Sports pundit Ndamukong Suh was asked about the showpiece NFL game being played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and he said: "Without question. There's no doubt in my mind that's on the table, and I would be willing to be bet in the next five years it happens. The world is their oyster where games go."

The NFL invested £10million into the building of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as part of its initial 10-year deal in 2015. They pay the Premier League club a hire fee for every game, which has been reported as being as high as £2million each time.

Spurs make around £6million for every Premier League match but the finances are different for NFL games as they hire out the ground.

They do get a cut of the millions recouped in food and drink revenue, which is around three times higher than it would be for a Premier League clash because the encounters can last up to four hours and the fans can drink beer in their seats. Tottenham also get a cut of the merchandise sold out of their club shop, which is transformed into an NFL store and the takings are said to be far higher than for the Premier League matches.

Now Spurs will receive their latest cash boost as the next two NFL London Games are played at their home later this year with the Jaguars also playing another game at Wembley Stadium.