The interlude of hope was short-lived. Urgently appointed to succeed Thomas Frank, Igor Tudor was to embody the shock of a drifting Tottenham. Ten days later, the Croatian is already under threat of dismissal. The defeat (2-1) against Fulham, a new demonstration of collective helplessness, confirmed the stalemate. After the humiliation in the North London Derby against Arsenal (1-4), Spurs sank again, unable to show the slightest progress. While Tudor had arrived with the reputation of a man of character, of a technician capable of restoring order and intensity, the observation is for the moment quite brutal with Tottenham who seem even more disoriented than before his arrival. And the crisis now goes beyond the simple framework of a change of coach.
Tottenham have not won a single Premier League match in their last ten outings, a series which harkens back to the club’s darkest hours, in the mid-1990s. Since the end of 2025, the spiral has been dizzying, and the statistics are overwhelming. Indeed, Spurs are among the teams which lose the most balls, which concede the most clear chances and which commit the most errors leading to a shot or a goal. Even the championship got involved by broadcasting, before removing it, a sequence mocking an improbable clearance by Guglielmo Vicario. Cruel symbol of a hopeless team losing momentum. After the setback against the Cottagers, the former OM and Juventus coach pointed out the lack of physical condition, criticized the refereeing and regretted the attitude of his players. But in England, this offensive tone is already raising questions, and by looking for those responsible elsewhere, doesn’t the Croatian risk losing control of his locker room? In any case, this is what several English media wrote this Monday.
Tudor fined by the English press
The accounting situation is alarming. Currently in 16th place in the Premier League, Tottenham is only four points ahead of West Ham, first in relegation. The specter of a return to the Championship, unthinkable for a club present in the elite without interruption since 1992, has never seemed so concrete. The schedule offers no respite and the projections are chilling. If Spurs replicate the results of the corresponding posters from last season, relegation would become a virtual certainty. Internally, the pressure is also financial since the vast majority of players recruited during the Daniel Levy era have a salary reduction clause of around 50% in the event of a drop. A disaster scenario that would weigh heavily, both sportingly and economically. Paradoxically, Tottenham shone on the European scene by securing a Top 8 in the Champions League, validating qualification for the round of 16 which will be played on March 10 against Atlético de Madrid. Two faces for the same club, torn between continental ambitions and domestic survival. In this explosive context, the Crystal Palace reception this Thursday already looks like a turning point.
The Daily Mail, The Sun and even Sky Sports openly raise the possibility of rapid dismissal if no signs of improvement appear: “ the situation was already dire under Thomas Frank, and his departure was inevitable as Spurs slipped towards the relegation zone. But Tottenham have undeniably got worse in the last two games under Tudor’s management, and it is questionable whether the club will have to make a decision if they lose again at home to Crystal Palace on Thursday. », writes journalist Ian Ladyman in the columns of Daily Mail… Dramatic after only a few weeks, but the question now arises without detour. Can Tottenham afford to wait, even though the former residents of White Hart Lane still have to move to Liverpool, Aston Villa and Chelsea? Tudor had assured to be “100% confident” as for maintenance. Ten days and two setbacks later, his speech has darkened. If he fails to restore structure, energy and above all points to his team, his appointment could join the long list of missed bets. In London, time is no longer on his side.
