Football FanCast

In the wake of Antonin Kinsky's nightmarish evening in the Champions League, news broke that the young Czech goalkeeper would be seeking employment away from Tottenham Hotspur next season.

Kinsky wants to leave Tottenham on loan, and while Igor Tudor will not be at N17 after his interim deal expires, this speaks toward the total lack of leadership and direction that has punctured the Londoners' hull.

Make no mistake, this is a sinking ship, and faith in Tudor's ability to put things to rights and preserve Spurs' precious Premier League status has already evaporated, four losses from four after Thomas Frank was sent packing.

Why Spurs haven't sacked Tudor

Tudor, adept in crisis management and with experience arriving at struggling clubs mid-season, has been a disastrous appointment, and yet another illustration of the Tottenham board's incompetence.

After being thrashed in a mistake-filled Champions League tie at Atletico Madrid, many of a Spurs persuasion felt Tudor's dismissal was imminent, but it has since been confirmed that he's set to take Spurs' pre-match press conference at 1:30pm on Friday, ahead of a worrying Premier League trip to Anfield.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that, despite this, the 47-year-old is "at serious risk of being sacked at any moment", with ENIC Group and sporting director Johan Lange likely biding their time for the right replacement.

Pickings are slim, and the Lilywhites cannot afford another misfire as they teeter on the cusp of the relegation zone.

However, Romano has also stressed that Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino remain "very high" on the north Londoners' managerial shortlist, and with the latter contracted to lead the USMNT out for the World Cup this summer, it looks like De Zerbi might be in pole position.

The Italian has been out of work since being fired by Marseille in February, but he is proven as an elite coach in the English game and "has been of interest to Tottenham in the past", according to The Athletic's James Horncastle.

Why Spurs should appoint De Zerbi

The bottom line is that Tudor is going to get Tottenham relegated from the Premier League. Confidence in the Croatian coach's capacity to turn things around has already evaporated.

Spurs needed a manager bounce, but they've only fallen deeper into a hole after Frank's dismissal, with BBC pundit Stephen Warnock even claiming that he "has lost the dressing room".

De Zerbi prides himself on being a big personality, and his ball-heavy style of football has been hailed as "unique" by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola in the past.

Implementing a 4-2-3-1 formation, he might manage to get a tune out of the struggling Xavi Simons while reinvigorating Conor Gallagher in the centre of the park, allowing Joao Palhinha to continue mopping things up as the anchor.

Moreover, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero's respective skills on the ball could finally be well utilised, thus creating more fluid and progressive build-up patterns. De Zerbi knows how to make these things work, described as "one of the best coaches in the world" by his former players at Marseille.

After all, De Zerbi's proven record in the Premier League with Brighton far outstrips Tudor's own meagre experience in the English game, and with time running out, Tottenham need to make a change and could benefit from such a profile taking to the dugout, rousing the confidence in this beleaguered bunch.

Expected Goals (xG) is a metric designed to measure the probability of a shot resulting in a goal.

Tottenham have had countless problems to overcome this season. Injuries, a total lack of leadership and issues stemming from poor recruitment all play their part.

De Zerbi - a "genius" in the words of Statman Dave - would add fire and respect to the struggling squad, bringing with him a wealth of Premier League experience and an attractive, ball-playing style of football that could rekindle some confidence in these struggling stars.

Ultimately, Tottenham are in grave danger, but there's still plenty of time to change the narrative and secure their position next season. However, it already looks highly unlikely that this will happen with Tudor at the helm.

Igor Tudor’s tenure at Tottenham is a “car crash” that needs to be brought to an end, according to former England defender Gary Neville.

Tudor's Tottenham "shambles" must end - Neville

The Croatian’s position is under intense scrutiny after four straight losses and in the aftermath of Tuesday’s debacle against Atletico Madrid, where Tudor selected reserve keeper Antonin Kinsky only to substitute him after 17 minutes with Spurs 3-0 down.

They went on to lose 5-2, all but ending their chances of progressing to the quarter-finals, and, speaking to The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, Neville said of the treatment of Kinsky: “I thought it was brutal.

“I thought the whole thing of the last few weeks and then that, the whole thing is just a car crash, a shambles.

“The problem I had was Tudor’s interview. I think he’s got to come in there and say, ‘Look, I got this wrong, I should have left (Guglielmo) Vicario in net’, but he didn’t, he doubled down.”

Tudor was only appointed four weeks ago following the sacking of Thomas Frank but Neville believes Tottenham must act again immediately to have any hope of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.

“If you’re going to make another change, that for me needs to be today or tomorrow, because you don’t wait,” he added.

Former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright agreed that Tudor is not the right man for the role, saying: “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.”

Wright was referring to Loris Karius’ horror show in the 2018 Champions League final, and Tudor’s treatment of Kinsky drew mixed reviews.

The Croatian did not acknowledge the 22-year-old after hauling him off, but Roy Keane described the outcry as an overreaction, saying: “He’s made a couple of mistakes, huge mistakes.”

Former England striker Wayne Rooney added: “He’s tried to protect him but it looks horrendous. I think the biggest issue was starting him. I’ve no problem with him taking him off.

“Should he hug him? If I got brought off after 20 minutes, I wouldn’t want a hug off my manager. He can speak to him after the game.”

Former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane, who is currently in charge at Hungarian side Ferencvaros, was cited as a possible replacement along with Sean Dyche.

Rooney reserved his strongest criticism for the Spurs squad, saying: “Those players need to look at themselves because I think they’ve been an absolute disgrace. The performances, the attitude, the lack of desire, the lack of fight, lack of anything in them.

“I think they need someone to go in and absolutely batter them. They need some fear put into them.”

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano revealed Spurs could sack the manager "at any moment", with the 47 year-old on the brink of the sack despite the club confirming he will take the pre-Liverpool press conference.

“It is four games under Igor Tudor and four defeats, which is the first time in Tottenham’s history with a new manager.

“It is also the first time Tottenham have lost six consecutive matches.

“At the moment Tottenham have confirmed that Tudor will take the press conference ahead of the Liverpool game, but he remains at serious risk of being sacked at any moment. The situation is very fluid in the short term.

“For the long term the plan has always been clear, because Tudor signed a short contract and in the summer Tottenham want a new manager.

“The two names still very high on the shortlist are Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino.”

Spurs have not won away at Liverpool in any competition since 2011, and were reduced to nine men in the reverse fixture this season following red cards for Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero, who is a doubt for the fixture with a possible concussion.

One manager who's been called the ideal man to rescue Tottenham is now reported to be keen on replacing the under-fire Igor Tudor.

State of play as Igor Tudor narrowly avoids Tottenham axe for now

Journalist Henry Winter declared Tudor would be gone within 24 hours, while talkSPORT reported the Tottenham hierarchy were "considering sacking" him before the weekend.

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust issued a statement demanding "emergency action" and calling Tuesday's 5-2 humiliation in Madrid "a total disgrace."

The Lewis family, who own the club, were said to be "disillusioned" by their interim manager's total lack of impact.

Senior figures in the dressing room will also undoubtedly be furious at the way he handled the infamous Antonin Kinsky substitution — walking straight past the distraught 22-year-old without a word of consolation as he trudged from the Metropolitano pitch.

And yet, by Wednesday afternoon, Tudor was still in his job.

Tottenham confirmed he would take Friday's pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's trip to Anfield. Not sacked. Not even officially under review. Just surviving, at least for now.

It is an extraordinary situation at a club that has lost six games in a row for the first time in its history, that has not won a Premier League match since December 28, and that sits just a single point above the relegation zone with nine games left to play.

The Champions League exit is as good as rubber-stamped. The drop, once unthinkable, is becoming a very real possibility.

Tudor, in charge for just 25 days, has managed to make things dramatically worse since replacing Thomas Frank.

So who replaces him when the end inevitably comes? That is the question consuming the entire club, and one name is starting to generate some heat.

Sean Dyche 'keen' to replace Igor Tudor at Tottenham

As per TEAMtalk, Sean Dyche would be 'keen' on taking charge at Tottenham.

The 54-year-old has been out of management since his sacking by Nottingham Forest in February and has Premier League experience spanning stints at Burnley, Everton and the City Ground.

His track record of grinding teams to safety — ugly, functional, effective — makes him a fairly logical fit for what is essentially a rescue mission with nine games remaining.

However, TT sources are also playing down the likelihood of a swift appointment, which may be music to the ears of some Spurs supporters.

Despite Dyche's personal interest in the role, there has been no contact between the two parties as yet. No phone call, no approach, no formal or informal discussion. It remains interest on one side only, with Tottenham yet to make a definitive move in any direction.

The 54-year-old, who Darren Bent called the 'perfect' manager to rescue Spurs right now, appears to be an outside contender at best.

The decision-making process at Spurs, as has been well documented this week, involves CEO Vinai Venkatesham, sporting director Johan Lange, owners Vivienne and Charles Lewis, and — perhaps surprisingly to most fans — Vivienne's son-in-law Nick Beucher, who is said to wield growing influence in key calls.

Getting all of those parties aligned quickly enough to make a change before Sunday seems unlikely, which is presumably why Tudor is still standing.

A Dyche appointment would be controversial by any measure.

His brand of direct, no-frills football is the polar opposite of what Spurs fans have spent years demanding. But with relegation on the horizon, the priority is no longer style. It is survival.

Tottenham Hotspur's calamitous season could yet swerve the biggest disaster of them all: relegation from the Premier League.

But time is running out, and the Spurs board are surely grappling with the sense that Igor Tudor was the wrong appointment, and that, after four disastrous defeats in a row, the interim boss may take the club down into the Championship if he is not dismissed quickly.

It's already been confirmed that Tudor is set to conduct Tottenham's press conference on Thursday ahead of Sunday's trip to Liverpool in the Premier League, but even this has left many fans frustrated that a change has not already been made after the Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Who could replace Tudor at Spurs

Tudor has been in a job for less than a month, replacing Thomas Frank after the former Brentford manager's much-needed dismissal. Frank endured a torrid spell at the helm, but it's only gotten worse over the past month.

Sporting director Johan Lange cannot afford another misfire, not with Spurs only one point clear of the relegation zone.

However, there's no denying that the pickings are slim. Harry Redknapp, 79, has already ruled himself out of a sensational return to the dugout in north London, while the likes of Ryan Mason and Robbie Keane are both young and inexperienced coaches.

However, it was reported before Frank's dismissal that talks had been held with the representatives of former Barcelona boss Xavi as ENIC Group considered their route forward.

A move didn't come to fruition, but the 46-year-old's title-winning spell at La Blaugrana and his attacking ethos could help reinvigorate a Spurs side who have completely lost their way.

In the past, Xavi, who is a fluent English speaker, said, "I would love to work in the Premier League,"

Why Xavi could be the perfect pick

Xavi might not have any experience in English football, but he certainly has more pedigree as a title-winning manager at the highest level, with the Spanish legend said by pundit Thierry Henry to be "up there with Pep", in regard to his footballing brain and his capacity to inspire those around him and under him.

Implementing a 4-3-3 formation during his time as the Camp Nou boss, Xavi's approach could help to give Tottenham more control in the middle of the park, taking the ineffective Xavi Simons out of the equation and instilling more control.

This might feel like something of a risk, but the alternative, should Tottenham want to appoint a manager with a wealth of Premier League experience, would be Sean Dyche, whose arrival would hardly fill supporters (and perhaps players too) with confidence.

Tottenham have suffered one of the most porous defences in the Premier League this season, and much has been left to be desired in attack too.

Xavi might not be the perfect fix, but his progressive, rousing presence in the Spurs dugout could be exactly what these beleaguered players need.

It's clear that the situation is already bordering on untenable for Tudor after the defeat to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. What's less clear is the club's strategy, and whether, indeed, a potential replacement has already been earmarked.

It'sv safe to say that Tudor's position isn't under imminent threat, but there's no time to waste, and with Xavi boasting one of football's great reputations while having a penchant for attractive football, there's a chance that he could whip this struggling squad into shape and restore the absent confidence that will relegate Tottenham from ther Premier League if not swiftly rediscovered.

Tottenham Hotspur are at their nadir, but it will get a whole lot worse if Igor Tudor fails to inspire his squad over the final few months of the season.

That's assuming the interim boss lasts until May, of course, and that looked decidedly unlikely after four wretched defeats in the wake of Thomas Frank's sacking.

The error-strewn 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie has done no physical damage to Spurs' Premier League relegation fight, but the psychological hit has been intense.

Antonin Kinsky made a slew of mistakes and was taken off after only 16 minutes in the most chastising of circumstances. Tudor made the call, and he's been met with a sea of criticism, and it's already beginning to look like the Croatian coach's position is becoming untenable.

The latest on Igor Tudor's Spurs position

Many thought that the seven-goal defeat at Atletico would prove the end of Tudor's fleeting tenure, but Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold has revealed that the 47-year-old is expected to take questions on Thursday for the club's pre-match press conference, ahead of a Premier League trip to Anfield.

It doesn't feel very likely that Tottenham will stave off the imminent threat of relegation by keeping the faith in Tudor for the remainder of the campaign, but with Harry Redknapp unrealistic and top targets such as Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino only available after the end of the season, ENIC Group could be forced into making a drastic, left-field decision.

Well, the latest man in the frame is Sean Dyche, who has been out of work since being dismissed by Nottingham Forest. According to TEAMtalk, the manager with 350 Premier League games under his belt, is one of the many names being considered for the post.

In fact, according to a reporter from AP News, Spurs have actually made 'tenative contact' with Dyche's representatives to discuss his availability.

The English boss isn't the most exciting coach on the block, but he could be exactly what this side need as they stare into an abyss they cannot afford to fall into.

Why Spurs need to appoint Dyche

Dyche has a reputation as something of a relegation specialist, having kept Burnley in the Premier League for six seasons before taking the reins at Everton and guiding the beleaguered Merseysiders away from danger.

Indeed, while Dyche's time at Goodison Park eventually went stale, he replaced Frank Lampard's sinking ship and brought clarity to the club before propping them back up.

The differences between his coaching style and Dyche's are night and day. Tudor might employ a front-footed strategy, but it hasn't clicked at all at N17, and perhaps the players need someone who understands the Premier League and what it takes to beat opponents in a battle for survival.

And Dyche, after all, has managed 350 games in England's top flight, with his short-lived tenure at Nottingham Forest earlier this season initially seeing him win four of his first eight league outings, including an away trip to Liverpool and a 3-0 drubbing over Frank's Tottenham.

In the Champions League on Tuesday, Tottenham came undone by their own error-filled performance. But this has been a recurring theme throughout their Premier League campaign, one which could form a central role in their tumble into the second tier.

While there have been some half-hearted claims for Redknapp to return to the Spurs dugout, the iconic English coach is 79 years old, so he'd probably be a poor choice to draft out of retirement and into the thick of a toxic relegation battle.

Dyche, however, enforces some similar old-school principles that Tottenham could benefit from, restoring a semblance of confidence to the dressing room and a unified focus on battling away from the danger zone. Tudor, after all, has thus far proved incapable in that respect.

The reality of Tottenham's position has finally dawned on the under-fire board, but still they back Tudor with time running out.

While drafting Dyche in is hardly the most appetising option at the Lilywhites' disposal, these are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures.

Dyche is a specialist in staving off danger at the bottom of the table, and Tottenham are in real trouble of being relegated from the top flight. With Tudor seemingly unable to rally the troops, the experienced Premier League boss could be the perfect option.

Tottenham appear to be sticking with Igor Tudor until Liverpool, after it was confirmed that the Croatian will be holding a pre-match press conference for the Premier League clash.

However, make no mistake, things could change very quickly.

It has been four games, four defeats, and 14 goals conceded. Tudor is quite simply living on borrowed time at Tottenham, and Tuesday night in Madrid should have been the moment that completely sealed his fate.

The 5-2 mauling at the hands of Atlético Madrid — which makes it six straight losses in all competitions, a first in the club's entire 144-year history — left Spurs fans apoplectic and the board scrambling.

Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham arrived at the training ground early on Wednesday morning for crunch talks with Tudor and his coaching staff.

The club have confirmed the Croatian will take Friday's pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's trip to Anfield, handing him a short-term lifeline, but few expect him to survive much longer.

Spurs sit just one point above the Premier League relegation zone, and with their Champions League exit much more likely than not, this season is fast becoming a Lilywhites nightmare.

The dressing room, it is widely reported, has not taken to Tudor at all — a reality painfully illustrated by his failure to even acknowledge the distraught 22-year-old Antonin Kinsky as the goalkeeper trudged off the Metropolitano pitch, having made two catastrophic errors in the opening 17 minutes.

Teammates consoled the young Czech keeper, while the manager stood motionless.

Tudor's own response to the mounting pressure was almost comically defiant.

"It's not about me," he said after the Atletico disaster.

"We need to stay calm. Less talking."

Spurs fans will disagree on that last point.

So what happens if — or rather when — the axe falls? Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas has explained exactly how the decision-making process works at Tottenham, and his answer throws up a name that most supporters will never have heard of.

'Interesting' Tottenham name set for big say on Igor Tudor's future

Speaking to Sky's official website, Thomas has shared some insight into the corridors of power at Spurs.

"The process that took place when Thomas Frank was sacked was that the senior leadership group at Tottenham, which includes CEO Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange, recommended to the ownership and the board that it was time to make a change," Thomas explained.

"That's certainly the process that will be followed again, but it will be the owners Vivienne and Charles Lewis who have the final say on whether or not the head coach should be changed."

So far, so predictable, but then came the curveball.

"There's also another interesting name in there that Spurs fans may not have heard of before, and that is Nick Beucher," Thomas said.

"He is the son-in-law of Vivienne Lewis and is said to be increasingly influential in key decisions there. So, he would also have a say."

Nick Beucher. Not a name that features in any football almanac, but reportedly one of the key figures who will determine what happens at one of England's biggest clubs over the coming days.

His apparent growing influence — operating through his family connection to co-owner Vivienne Lewis — adds another layer of intrigue to an already chaotic situation at Hotspur Way.

As for who comes next, the bookmakers have made Sean Dyche the frontrunner, with Roberto De Zerbi at 4/1 and Robbie Keane — who TEAMtalk report has already been spoken to — also prominent.

Mauricio Pochettino remains the romantic option, but his World Cup commitments with the USA make any summer appointment the earliest realistic timeline.

Whoever Beucher, the Lewises, Venkatesham and Lange ultimately decide upon, they need to get it right. Third time unlucky is not a phrase Spurs fans can afford to hear.

Igor Tudor’s position as Tottenham boss is under intense pressure after another awful night for the Croatian in the Champions League.

Tottenham Supporters' Trust call for action

Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust called for “emergency action” after a chaotic 5-2 loss at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

The club confirmed Tudor is set to speak at the scheduled pre-match press conference on Friday, when his future will again be under the spotlight.

More records tumbled for Spurs on an extraordinary evening where young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was withdrawn after 17 minutes due to two terrible errors.

Defeat made Tudor the first Tottenham boss to lose his first four games in charge, while the club have lost six games in a row for the first time in their history.

Tudor has only been in charge for 25 days, but refused to answer questions about his future post-match.

“Tonight’s performance and result is a total disgrace,” a statement from THST read. “It’s symptomatic of the abysmal state of things at Spurs right now.

“From the January transfer window to the management appointments, the lack of leadership and the total absence of anyone with a Spurs pedigree informing these decisions. Where is the Daring to Do? Where are the Echoes of Glory?

“Emergency action is needed as right now we are sleepwalking off the edge of a cliff. Being a Spurs fan has never been so difficult but supporters will not sit by and watch the club continue to decline.

“At the very least those in Madrid should have their match tickets refunded. But all we really care about is that the club make us proud. We are here to support the team and be the 12th man. But we all deserve so much more.”

Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood accused Tudor of “adding fuel to the fire” and believes the club might make their move during the international break later this month.

“He keeps chopping and changing things, which is a worry to be honest,” Sherwood said on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast.

“He’s gone from three at the back to four at the back, then back to three again, with players playing out of position. I’ve scratched my head at some of the decisions he’s made since he came in.

“He hasn’t given the players a lift at all. He’s a firefighter who has a can of petrol in his hand at the moment – he’s adding fuel to the fire rather than restoring confidence to the players.

“Hopefully he can turn it around but, if he doesn’t, I think Spurs might roll the dice again. There’s an international break after their game against Nottingham Forest, which would be a good opportunity for a new manager to come in and have a look at things.”

Spurs sit 16th in the Premier League, one point above West Ham and Forest, with their next match a trip to Anfield on Sunday to face Liverpool.

Despite calls for the sack from fans, pundits and mainstream media, Alasdair Gold has revealed the club have "confirmed" Tudor will still be in charge by Friday at the bare minimum, with the 47 year-old set to take the pre-Liverpool press conference.

If Tudor is to be sacked, it seems, it will come after the trip to Anfield, where Tottenham have not won since 2011, thanks to goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modrić.

Tottenham Hotspur have now turned their attention towards signing a Champions League-winning star in a bargain deal this summer.

Tudor: "It was necessary" to substitute Kinsky

Just when Tottenham fans didn't believe it could get any worse, they saw their side fall three goals behind within 15 minutes against Atletico Madrid and their goalkeeper replaced within 17.

It was a brutal first 20 minutes for the Lilywhites and for Antonin Kinsky, who gave away possession twice inside his own box to gift Atletico Madrid an instant advantage.

After coming in to replace the out-of-form Guglielmo Vicario, some may have been pleased to see Kinsky and pleased that Igor Tudor had made a bold decision. To say that choice backfired would be an incredible understatement, however.

Despite receiving criticism for taking Kinsky out of the game after his mistakes, Tudor stood by his decision at full-time, telling reporters: "In my 15 years coaching, I never do that. It was necessary to preserve the guy, to preserve the team.

“Incredible situation, nothing to comment, you will see. It was, before the game, the right choice to do in the moment like we are. Pressure on Vicario, another competition, Toni is a very good goalkeeper. So, it was, for me, the right decision.

"I explained to Toni, also speaking after, that he is the right guy and a good goalkeeper. Unfortunately, it happened in this big game these mistakes.

"He was sorry. He made an excuse for the team. The team is with him. Me too. I was speaking with him, he understands the moment. He understands why he (had to) go out. So, as I said before, he is a very good goalkeeper. We are all together. It is not about one player, so, it has happened."

It doesn't get any easier for Spurs, either. Up next, Anfield awaits and even against an inconsistent Liverpool side, securing victory will be an almighty task - especially if one of their transfer targets starts.

Tottenham plotting second Robertson approach

No matter the result at Anfield, Spurs will have their sights set on Andy Robertson. According to Football Insider, Tottenham are now plotting a move to sign Robertson as a free agent when his Liverpool contract expires this summer.

The move will rely on their ability to avoid the drop, then it's about convincing the 32-year-old to join - something they failed to do in the January transfer window.

"There was obviously interest there - there were discussions had with both sets of clubs. But the decision was that I wanted to stay. We stayed at Liverpool and that was the decision made. I was never not committed." (Robertson)

Although he has fallen behind Milos Kerkez in the pecking order at Liverpool, Robertson would be an excellent signing for Tottenham. The £160,000-a-week defender would fill the leadership gap at the club as a Champions League and Premier League winner, whilst also adding plenty of quality.

As free transfers goes, Robertson would be one of the bargains of the summer if the Lilywhites manage to lure him to North London.

Tottenham defender Djed Spence was spotted giving Igor Tudor a clear message as Spurs were humbled by Atlético Madrid on an astonishing night in the Champions League.

Atlético Madrid blast five past Tottenham as Tudor nightmare continues

Tudor's Tottenham tenure has been a disaster from the start.

Three Premier League defeats, nine goals conceded, one point above the drop zone. But nothing — nothing — in these wretched opening weeks quite prepared supporters for what unfolded at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano tonight.

Atlético smashed Spurs 5-2, and the scoreline barely tells half of the story.

Tudor made the extraordinary decision to drop Guglielmo Vicario — a goalkeeper who had barely missed a game all season — in favour of Antonin Kinsky, the Czech keeper who had not played since a Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle back in October.

The manager spoke beforehand about picking what was best for the team. Within six minutes, that logic lay in ruins.

Kinsky slipped attempting a clearance, the ball broke to Julian Alvarez, who fed Marcos Llorente to stroke home from the edge of the area. 1-0 in the sixth minute.

Micky van de Ven then lost his footing trying to deal with a routine ball and presented Antoine Griezmann with a tap-in. 2-0.

And then — the moment that really beggared belief — Kinsky was handed a straightforward back-pass, swung his left boot at thin air and watched Alvarez walk the ball into an empty net.

Three goals in fifteen minutes. Three catastrophic individual errors. The goalkeeper was in tears as he trudged down the tunnel, after Tudor made the very controversial decision to take him off.

Vicario rushed to get his gloves on, and a shell-shocked Tottenham dressing room tried to process what had just happened.

It got worse before it got better. Robin Le Normand headed in a fourth from a corner in the 22nd minute, the defending shambolic once again, before Pedro Porro at least pulled one back for a vestige of pride just after the half-hour.

Half-time arrived with Spurs four goals down, five yellow cards accumulated, and the tie as good as over.

Alvarez added a fifth on the hour — his second of a personally devastating night for Tudor's side — before Dominic Solanke, introduced at the break, netted a second consolation in the 67th to make it 5-2.

Tottenham finished the game with more yellow cards than shots on target, and have now lost six games in a row for the first time in their history.

But it was not the scoreline that had TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher reaching for his words, it was a moment caught away from the broadcast cameras he spotted — and one that perhaps paints a picture of a club fractured from within.

Djed Spence sends clear message to Tottenham boss Igor Tudor

As Spence was taken off with just under 10 minutes to go, he was seen approaching Tudor on the touchline — not the other way around — and tapping the manager on the shoulder and offering a handshake.

Fletcher was immediately alert to what he was seeing, pointing out that it was "not something you see" — a player initiating that exchange rather than the manager.

The significance, Fletcher suggested, lay in what had happened earlier in the game when Tudor substituted Kinsky without appearing to acknowledge the stricken goalkeeper as he walked past him, leaving the 22-year-old heading for the tunnel in disarray.

Whether Spence was making a deliberate point, showing solidarity to Kinsky, or simply acting out of character, Fletcher was clear that it was a message that warranted attention.

On a night when Spurs were humiliated on the pitch, the sideshows off it may tell the more damaging story.

Tudor's Tottenham are a club in freefall, and the evidence is everywhere you look.

Tottenham Hotspur could make a move for an "expert" former manager if Igor Tudor is sacked.

Tudor under pressure after terrible start

Tudor has made a terrible start to life as interim Tottenham manager, losing his opening three games, which means his side are now just one point above the Premier League relegation zone, with nine games left to play.

Bringing in a manager with no experience in English football was always going to be a gamble, and Jamie O'Hara has already called for Spurs to take drastic action by getting rid of the former Juventus boss, saying: "I’d sack the manager. International break coming up, you’ve got a guy to come in and do a job. He needed to get quick results, he’s done that in the past.

"But if you look at the end of most of his managerial reigns, he’s terrible. Falls out with everyone and they get rid of him. But he’s lost three on the bounce, and the performances have got worse. His tactics are terrible. He’s miles off it, he’s shown no evidence he can get results, all he’s done is come in and moan about the problems there are at Tottenham."

Tudor is already under pressure, and Sean Dyche has now emerged as a leading candidate to replace the Croatian, but the ex-Nottingham Forest boss is not the only option on the shortlist.

According to a report from Sports Boom, Tottenham could also make a move for former manager Harry Redknapp, who has been out of work since leaving Birmingham City way back in 2017.

Tudor has been given two more matches to save his job, with Spurs set to travel to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, before taking on Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.

Should the 47-year-old get the sack, Redknapp is in the frame to replace him, and the 79-year-old has already made it clear he would be willing to take the job.

Appointing Redknapp would be gamble for Tottenham

Bringing in the Englishman would be a gamble for Tottenham, given that he has been out of management for nearly nine years, but there probably isn't a great deal of top-quality options available, with relegation becoming a realistic possibility.

Described as an "expert" manager by Luka Modric, the veteran manager is vastly experienced in England, unlike Tudor, who was a strange appointment from the start.

Gary Lineker has suggested it could make sense for Tottenham to re-appoint the vastly experienced coach, saying: "Honestly, I don't think it would be a bad idea to bring someone like Harry Redknapp in. Not someone like [him], but Harry Redknapp.

"I know it sounds a bit mad and he's been out of the game for a while, but you know what he's like, that big personality, lifting everybody in a moment of crisis. A little bit like Martin O'Neill's done on a couple of occasions at Celtic and lifted them."

Should Tottenham fall to another defeat at Liverpool, they will be in serious danger, and hiring Redknapp as an interim manager would make a lot of sense.