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How Igor Tudor’s Tottenham backroom staff could look: Who’s staying and who could join with him

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Igor Tudor looks set to join Tottenham as interim manager, with Spurs hoping to improve their results in the Premier League.

The Croatian is coming to North London on a temporary deal with no option to make it permanent in the summer.

Of course, with any managerial appointment, it also comes with plenty of questions.

It will be an interesting few months to see which players come to the fore as Tudor’s favourites, the style of football he brings, and the coaching staff that joins him.

For the latter, we can take a look at who he has previously entrusted with those roles, as well as who is still at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and see who could be a likely candidate.

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Who could make up Igor Tudor’s Tottenham coaching staff?

Tudor may only be a temporary option for Tottenham, but the interim manager will still need to have the right support in terms of coaching staff to turn this season around.

When looking into his previous work, it would not be a shock to see some of his previous colleagues join him.

During Tudor’s last two roles, there are a couple of recurring names. Assistant coach Ivan Javorcic and goalkeeping coach Tomislav Rogic have both worked with the Croatian at Lazio and then Juventus, his last two roles.

The pair are currently without work, and with Tudor seemingly trusting them in two separate capacities, they are likely candidates to follow him to N17.

His athletic coach at Juventus, Riccardo Ragnacci, is also without work, as he was part of the staff that were relieved of their duties by the Serie A club, as confirmed by their statement.

Ragnacci could be another option to join the Premier League side.

Additionally, John Heitinga is still employed by Tottenham as an assistant coach, and with him only recently joining the setup, it would not be a surprise to see him make up part of Tudor’s backroom staff.

Other coaches such as Justin Cochrane, Chris Haslam and Andreas Georgson are all still contracted to the North London club, with no announcement confirming if they have followed Thomas Frank out the door.

All three were brought into the club by the Dane, and it remains to be seen if they are relieved from their roles too over the coming days.

There could also be a possibility that due to it being a temporary appointment, Spurs have decided to stick with the current backroom staff.

What type of coach is Igor Tudor?

Tudor is said to be a very intense style of coach, and his methods require his players to be as intense in training as they are in matches.

Speaking in a pre-match press conference at Juventus, Tudor said: “You have to live every single match and every single training session to go at full speed.”

For Tudor’s methodology to work, he will need his staff to be on the same page.

However, over the last few months, Spurs fans may be inclined to think their side has been the opposite of that approach.

That could lead to some friction with the staff Frank had brought in, and perhaps the best move would be to dismiss them as well and allow Tudor to bring his own coaches into the club.

Here’s why Randal Kolo Muani is perfectly poised for Tottenham revival as Igor Tudor agreement reached

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Randal Kolo Muani is likely to be delighted with the expected appointment of Igor Tudor as Tottenham head coach.

The Frenchman spent a few months under the tenure of Tudor at Juventus last season, where he scored five goals in 11 appearances and picked up an assist after the Croatian joined the Old Lady.

Additionally, Juventus were looking to bring the 27-year-old back into the fold, following his loan spell last season.

However, an agreement could not be reached, and Tudor would go into the 2025-26 season without Kolo Muani in his squad.

Now, with Tudor at Tottenham, he can finally work with the striker he had wanted to sign, and that is great news for

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How did Tudor utilise Kolo Muani at Juventus?

Kolo Muani has not had the best of times at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, but his previous work with Tudor could change that.

With Tudor clearly liking the player, as evidenced by Juventus’ pursuit to bring him back, it would not be a surprise to see the French striker get more of a starring role in N17 until the end of the season.

At Juventus, Kolo Muani was often used in a two-striker setup, which could see him build a new relationship with Dominic Solanke in Spurs’ attack.

Speaking after being announced at Juventus, the new Spurs manager said, “There’s him [Vlahovic], there’s Kolo, two strong strikers who can either play together or alternate. It’s important to have strong players, otherwise, a coach can’t do anything. It’s stimulating.”

Tudor is a manager who likes direct football, and the two-pronged strike force allows for direct passes into the front line for either forward to lay off to the other.

It could see the loanee improve in the final third, where he has been far from impressive. In his 18 Premier League appearances, he has registered just 1.33 xG according to Sofascore.

Despite the stats, the forward is clearly a quality finisher, as during his time in Italy, he outperformed his xG. He scored eight goals from 4.7 xG.

However, at Tottenham he averages a shot on target every 10 games for the North London outfit, showing perhaps service has been the issue.

Additionally, the French forward has yet to register a single goal involvement in the league, although, much like Tottenham, his performances in Europe have been better.

In seven games, he has three goals and two assists.

Will Kolo Muani start against Arsenal?

The Croatian manager has come into Tottenham with an extremely difficult first test, a derby game against Arsenal.

However, Tudor has plenty of time to prepare with the game kicking off on 22 February.

With a player like Kolo Muani already understanding what his manager wants, he could be in line for a start in the North London derby.

Arsenal are flying high this season, and the Lilywhites would love nothing more than to thwart their bitter rivals’ title hopes.

Starting someone like Kolo Muani, who would need less time to adapt to Tudor’s style, could be a key decision.

Here’s when Igor Tudor will meet Tottenham squad, plus everything we know about Mauricio Pochettino summer move

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Igor Tudor will introduce himself to the Tottenham players for the first time on Monday.

According to a report in the print edition of The Sun on Saturday, Tudor will meet the Tottenham squad for the first time at the start of next week.

However, the report also states that because Tudor’s contract is only until the end of the season, there remains a possibility that Mauricio Pochettino returns as Spurs boss this summer.

Pochettino won’t be available until after his contract expires as USA manager after the World Cup though, meaning Tottenham wouldn’t be able to appoint him as soon as the 2025-26 season ends.

Why have Tottenham appointed Igor Tudor?

With no permanent option in Tudor’s contract to become the Tottenham manager on a permanent basis, the 47-year-old is very much coming in to be a firefighter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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As such, news of his imminent arrival has received a mixed reception among Spurs fans, with some unsure of the strategy behind the deal and whether Tudor himself is the right candidate.

Having only been in charge of Juventus for seven months between March and October last year, the Croatian is building a reputation for not staying in one job for a particularly long time.

Indeed, he was only with Lazio for a matter of months in 2024, spent one year with Marseille between 2022 and 2023 and under 12 months with Hellas Verona from 2021-2022 respectively.

As detailed in the above graphic from Sofascore, Tudor was only given 24 games as Juve boss too, with his 42 per cent win rate evidently not good enough for the Italian giants.

So, that all begs the question, why him? Well, according to the aforementioned report from The Sun, Tottenham chiefs only ever wanted a caretaker to be put in place following Thomas Frank’s sacking.

On top of that, the former Juventus manager did win six of his 11 games in charge of Lazio when drafted into perform a similar role there that he’ll be tasked with in N17, so he has proven he can get results fast.

Tudor’s tactical approach could give Tottenham chance of instant results

The Croat is known for his aggressive, high-intensity and high-pressing system, that puts a huge emphasis on winning the ball and causing turnovers as close to the opposition goal as possible.

In order to perform this successfully, that requires a team full of athletic, stamina-filled players that can maintain the energy levels required from them, and Spurs do have a largely young squad that should be able to meet those demands.

Tudor routinely deploys a 3-4-2-1 formation too, with wing-backs being a big part of his tactical approach.

As such, that could suit players like Djed Spence, Pedro Porro, Destiny Udogie and Souza down to the ground, as they all have a profile that suggests they could be better players in that position.

Alan Shearer spot on as real reason behind Thomas Frank sack becomes clear

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Tottenham are in desperate need of a manager before they take on Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 22 February.

Thomas Frank was sacked on Wednesday after Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to Newcastle United saw all of the fans turn against him.

The Lilywhites sit just five points clear of the relegation zone, and they are in desperate need of an interim manager who can come and steady the ship.

According to reports, Igor Tudor has verbally agreed a deal with Spurs until June, but it’s imperative that they get him through the door quickly.

While Frank’s dismissal has not come as a shock, Alan Shearer believes that the timing of the Arsenal match made it impossible for the Dane’s tenure to continue.

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Tottenham vs Arsenal on 22 February the real reason Frank was sacked

The North London derby has been a one-sided affair in recent seasons and the last time Tottenham beat the Gunners was back in May 2022 under Antonio Conte.

Mikel Arteta’s side have enjoyed a rapid rise to the top of the Premier League, and that has undoubtedly created more pressure on the managers who have taken charge in N17.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast on 13 February, Shearer believes that the upcoming Arsenal game was the last straw for Frank.

He said: “Tottenham’s next game is Arsenal, so that’s why they’ve acted on Frank.”

While there were many reasons for why Frank was dismissed, ultimately, it was the toxicity at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that was the real problem.

Had Frank been in charge for the Arsenal game, a loss would have been very likely, and it would have been hard for him to face the wrath of the fans.

Spurs supporters wouldn’t have been able to handle another loss at home to their rivals, and for the Dane’s personal sake, being sacked now was the right call.

Of course, he should have been dismissed much, much earlier, but now that he’s finally gone, the fanbase can be united once more against Arsenal.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be a completely different atmosphere vs Arsenal

This is undoubtedly the biggest game of Tottenham’s season, and it’s imperative that they record their third home win of the campaign.

With the Gunners faltering in the title race, dropping points to a Spurs side in disarray would be truly catastrophic for them.

If Tudor can have a week to prepare his squad for the match, then Tottenham would give themselves the best chance of easing any relegation fears, whiile denting Arsenal’s title hopes in the process.

It’s clear that the board was waiting for the opportune moment to sack Frank, and if Tudor joins, hopefully he can secure a memorable win during his first game in charge.

Mohammed Kudus return date locked in – this is when he could be back for Tottenham

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Mohammed Kudus could return for Tottenham in the near future.

A report from The Sun on 13 February claims that the 25-year-old is in Amsterdam to see a specialist to help him recover from his Hamstring injury.

It states that Kudus, who has been out since suffering the problem in Tottenham‘s Premier League clash with West Ham in January, is targeting the March international break for a comeback.

It was a huge blow for Thomas Frank, who has now been sacked after a miserable run of results at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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When will Kudus actually be back?

Just because he is targeting a return, it does not mean that he will be back in action after the international break next month.

For starters, there could be setbacks in his recovery, and he may face even longer on the sidelines than originally expected.

The report states that the Ghanaian is planning to return to first team training then, but it usually takes longer to actually play after coming back into the squad.

Therefore, an April return seems like the most likely option for the former Ajax man.

Why Tottenham need Kudus to be back as soon as possible

Kudus is one of the best players in North London, capable of changing a game on his own with his directness and dribbling ability.

He started his career with the Lilywhites in brilliant fashion with two goals and six assists in 19 league appearances.

The new manager, whoever it is, will be buzzing to have Kudus back in the mix, although, he would be wise to take it easy with his return to action.

Spurs need him back as quickly as possible, in order to have the best possible chance of getting themselves out of relegation danger.

Wilson Odobert and Richarlison’s absences make it even more imperative to have the 46-cap international back on the pitch.

However, they cannot rush the former West Ham man back, as that could aggravate his issue, and keep him on the sidelines for even longer.

It will be a fine balance, but they need to get him back on the pitch before the end of the campaign.

Why all roads still lead to Mauricio Pochettino for Tottenham despite Igor Tudor developments

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Igor Tudor looks set to take over at Tottenham.

Tottenham have reached an agreement with the former Juventus manager for him to take over until the end of the season.

Spurs want a new manager in place by Monday, and it looks like they are set to get their wish after the latest developments.

He may well be eyeing a permanent appointment, but it may not be that simple for the North London club.

Why Tudor may not take over in the summer

While Tudor is line to take the role immediately, he is not necessarily the favourite to be the boss on August 22.

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In a strange development, he is 8/1 to be the Spurs manager on that date with one bookmaker, with Mauricio Pochettino listed as the 9/4 favourite, as of Friday afternoon.

Other contenders to take over in August include ex-Brighton man Roberto De Zerbi at 4/1, former Lilywhites striker Robbie Keane at 6/1, and recently hired coach John Heitinga at 16/1.

Oliver Glasner is an another outsider, rated at 16/1, to take the post after his Crystal Palace exit at the end of the campaign.

Why all roads lead to Pochettino?

All roads lead to Pochettino, the oddsmakers seem to believe that he will take over after the World Cup in the summer.

He is unlikely to leave his role with the United States national team until after the tournament, and it would take a huge compensation amount for that to happen, which would be financially irresponsible for the N17 outfit.

It would be best for all parties to wait, and sort a deal once that tournament is over, for the Argentine to finally come back to North London.

Tottenham fans are desperate for the 53-year-old to return after he previously took them to the Champions League final and built one of the best teams that they have ever seen.

Alan Brazil has revealed that Pochettino told him that he loves the club and seems to be willing to come back if offered the post.

It seems as though they may get their wish, if the oddsmakers are correct, they will just have to wait for him.

Jamie Carragher in hysterics at Tim Sherwood and Tottenham update, he has a point

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Jamie Carragher couldn’t believe that Tim Sherwood was being linked with the Tottenham job.

Thomas Frank was sacked on Wednesday with Spurs 16th in the Premier League and just five points clear of the relegation zone.

Roberto De Zerbi is out of the running as he’s taking a break from management, while Mauricio Pochettino wouldn’t become the permanent head coach until after the World Cup.

Spurs have agreed a deal to bring Igor Tudor to the club on interim basis, and his first game is the North London derby on 22 February.

The likes of Marco Rose and Robbie Keane were also been linked with Tottenham, but Carragher couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of Sherwood being approached for the job.

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Tim Sherwood has put himself in the running for interim role at Tottenham

Sherwood finished the 2013-14 season as interim manager following the departure of Andre Villas-Boas.

He achieved a sixth-placed Premier League finish with Spurs with a total of 69 league points.

Sherwood was sacked by Daniel Levy in May 2014, and his only other managerial experience came at Aston Villa in 2015.

Speaking on Sky Sports on 11 February, the 57-year-old expressed his honour at the prospect of taking on the interim manager position if Tottenham were to ask him.

One fan questioned who was putting Sherwood in these conversations, and in response to the tweet below, Carragher replied with two laughing face emojis.

While it might seem to be a dig, the former Liverpool defender raises a great point, and Sherwood is certainly not ready to take the job.

He can ask to do it all that he wants, but the bottom line is that he doesn’t have the relevant experience to keep them up.

Tim Sherwood is far from qualified to manage Tottenham

The fact that Tottenham is in a relegation battle is laughable, and if they aren’t going to hire a permanent replacement for Frank, they need someone who has been successful in similar situations.

Spurs need someone who can galvanise the dressing room, yet there’s no way Sherwood has the track record to improve the mood around N17.

Tudor has previous experience with Marseille and Juventus, and he knows what it’s like to manage a club with huge expectations.

But what’s clear is that Sherwood won’t be getting the job, which will be a relief to many supporters.

‘Igor Tudor to relegate Tottenham’ as ENIC agreement reached – ‘Clueless’

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Igor Tudor looks set to be named as Tottenham’s interim manager.

Tottenham wanted a new manager by Monday, and it appears like they will get their wish with the Croatian on the verge of taking over in North London.

David Ornstein claimed on 13 February that Tudor has reached a verbal agreement to join on a contract that will run until the end of the campaign.

ENIC have acted fast to get someone in place after sacking Thomas Frank, but they have been slammed over the decision to appoint the 47-year-old.

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What are Tottenham fans saying about Tudor?

Tottenham fans are not happy with the fact that Tudor is set to take over, with many claiming that the former Lazio and Juventus boss will take them down to the Championship.

Spurs are currently five points above West Ham, who occupy the final spot in the relegation zone, with 12 matches left to play.

Fans are convinced that ENIC’s decision will relegate their club and are not convinced by Tudor’s record so far in management.

One supporter said: “Do you really want us relegated? Igor Tudor is rubbish, that’s why Juve sacked him. ENIC OUT”

Another commented: “If we are going for an interim, Marco Rose would be perfect, but no, instead this clueless board somehow thinks Igor Tudor is the answer to this mess. #LangeOut #VinaiOut #ENICOut”

One fan hit out, saying: “Igor Tudor has another sacking by April written all over it. #ENICOut”

It is safe to say that the new man in the dugout faces a tough task to turn the fanbase around and get them to believe in him.

What are the concerns around Tudor?

There are legitimate concerns about Tudor, the main one being that he does not have experience in English football, so he will take time to get used to it.

He is also wedded to a strict tactical system and refuses to adapt, which could cause issues if the squad is not suited to what he wants.

His inability to hold onto a job may be one if he was sticking around, but it seems very much a temporary appointment, so that should not be a problem.

However, the blind pessimism surrounding his appointment seems too far, supporters should give him a chance, and get behind him for his first game in charge, which will be the North London derby with Arsenal.

If he can secure an unlikely victory or even a point, then he will surely bring the doubters on board pretty quickly.

He has shown an ability to fight fires, and that would be perfect for Spurs at the moment, as they cannot afford to be relegated.

Here’s why ENIC are to blame as Roberto De Zerbi snubs Tottenham manager job

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Roberto De Zerbi looks unlikely to replace Thomas Frank at Tottenham despite recently leaving Marseille.

The former Brighton manager emerged as the early favourite to take the reins at Spurs, after the North London side finally dismissed Frank.

De Zerbi parted company with Marseille just hours before the Tottenham job became available, but according to sources close to him, he is not interested in the role.

Instead, the Italian is set to have a spell away from management, which means the Lilywhites will be forced to look elsewhere.

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Roberto De Zerbi not convinced by Tottenham project

It is hardly surprising that De Zerbi is unconvinced by the Tottenham project, given the current situation that the club finds themselves in.

After a 17th-place finish in the Premier League last season, the North London outfit are once again in the lower reaches of the table this term.

Spurs are currently 16th, just five points clear of the relegation zone and in real danger of dropping down to the Championship.

The whole club have been in slow decline over recent years, and with multiple managers failing to arrest the slide, the finger now must be pointed at ENIC and the Lewis family.

Poor appointments across all leadership positions, as well as misguided investment, have left Tottenham at a point where they are struggling to attract De Zerbi.

Tottenham agree deal with Igor Tudor

With De Zerbi out of the running, Tottenham have agreed a deal to appoint Igor Tudor until the end of the season.

Tudor has been out of work since he was sacked by Juventus in October 2025, after spending just seven months with the Italian giants.

The 47-year-old is expected to come in on an interim basis though, with Spurs then reassessing their options in the summer.

At that point, current USA manager Mauricio Pochettino could become available, following the 2026 World Cup.

Some believe that Spurs are waiting for Pochettino before making a decision on a permanent manager.

Everything Tottenham fans can expect from Igor Tudor as formation, tactics and line-ups examined

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Igor Tudor is edging closer to becoming the interim head coach of Tottenham.

David Ornstein reported on Friday that Spurs have reached a verbal agreement for Tudor to take over until the end of the season.

The 47-year-old is set to join the Lilywhites on a contract until the end of the season, with no option of a permanent appointment in N17.

Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham are said to have led the process to appoint the Croatian, with his big-club experience seemingly playing a key role in the decision.

The news has been met by a mixed reception at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and now Tottenham News has rounded up everything you need to know about Tudor.

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Who is Igor Tudor?

The first question that will spring to mind for Spurs fans is, who is he?

Many supporters may not have heard of the Croatian who has predominantly managed in Italy over the last eight years.

Tudor most recently managed Juventus, but he lasted just seven months before being let go and replaced by Luciano Spalletti at the Allianz Stadium.

Prior to that, he spent time at Lazio, Marseille, Hellas Verona, Hajduk Split and Udinese, but he has typically struggled to last more than a year with any club.

His record with the Old Lady is nothing to write home about, as showcased by Sofascore, revealing exactly why he was let go so early in his Turin spell.

That will hardly fill the North London faithful with hope, but he will only remain in charge of the Lilywhites until the end of the season.

His short-term spell could see him work well with what he has available, especially based on his usual play style and tactical approach.

What is Igor Tudor’s tactical approach?

The 47-year-old may not stick around for very long, but will set out his ideas very quickly as his style could echo some of Thomas Frank’s philosophy.

The Dane struggled at times as he constantly chopped and changed his formation, but Tudor is known for utilising a 3-4-2-1.

His sides are typically very fluid and become a 5-2-3 off the ball, with his two players behind the striker typically roaming around the pitch to fill in where required.

They help to fulfil his idea of pressing man-to-man, with a view to making things extremely difficult for the opposition defenders to play out from the back.

That causes his men to win the ball further up the pitch on a regular basis and give themselves the best opportunity to score off the press.

When it comes to his own side building up, he asks his wing-backs to get high and wide to offer space, while his central midfield two drop deeper to open up passing lanes further up the pitch.

That could all suit Spurs well, but there will still be questions about who will get into his best XI.

How could Igor Tudor line up at Tottenham?

There are many injury problems in N17 that will likely force Tudor’s hand, but he still has plenty of quality options at his disposal.

One thing he may not have is a progressive midfield option, but he could utilise Joao Palhina and Conor Gallagher in those positions as they can drop deep and be effective from there.

The back three picks itself with Kevin Danso likely to join Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, unless Palhinha takes up that role as he did under Frank.

Further forward, Dominic Solanke is likely to keep his role with Xavi Simons in behind him, leaving a decision over that second number 10 role.

Randal Kolo Muani could be the man for Tudor, who he wanted at Juventus in the summer, but he will face competition from the likes of Mathys Tel and the list of injured forwards in North London.

This approach is similar to Frank’s and gives Spurs fans reason to be wary of Tudor, but time will tell about his tenure.