Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the appointment of Igor Tudor as interim manager until the end of the season, following the dismissal of Thomas Frank.
Tudor replaces Frank, who was sacked on Wednesday with Spurs sitting just five points above the Premier League relegation zone after a dismal run of form. The Croatian reached a verbal agreement with the club’s hierarchy on Friday, and the deal was finalised on Saturday.
“It is an honour to join this club at an important moment,” Tudor said. “I understand the responsibility I have been handed, and my focus is clear, to bring greater consistency to our performances and compete with conviction in every match.
“There is strong quality in this playing squad. My job is to organise it, energise it and improve our results quickly.”
The 47-year-old arrives with experience of navigating high-pressure situations. At Juventus, he took over late in the 2024–25 campaign with the club outside the UEFA Champions League places and guided them to a fourth-place finish, losing just one of his first 11 matches in charge.
However, he was unable to sustain that momentum this season and was dismissed in October after an eight-match winless streak left Juventus eighth in Serie A.
Tudor has also managed Lazio, Marseille, Hellas Verona, Hajduk Split, Galatasaray and Udinese.
He inherits a side in turmoil. Frank, appointed from Brentford last year after Ange Postecoglou’s departure was removed one day after a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United. Spurs had managed just two wins in 17 league matches under the Dane.
Sporting director Johan Lange expressed confidence that Tudor can steady the club during a turbulent spell.
“Igor brings clarity, intensity and experience of stepping into challenging moments and producing impact,” Lange said. “Our objective is straightforward, to stabilise performances, maximise the quality within the squad and compete strongly in the Premier League and Champions League.”
Despite their domestic struggles, Tottenham have reached the last 16 of the Champions League, their only bright spot in an otherwise disappointing campaign while they battle to avoid a first relegation since 1976–77.
The interim appointment mirrors the approach taken by Manchester United, who turned to Michael Carrick in a temporary capacity after parting ways with Ruben Amorim.
Spurs had also been linked with Edin Terzic and Marco Rose before confirming Tudor’s arrival. Longer-term candidates are expected to include former manager Mauricio Pochettino, currently committed to the United States men’s national soccer team ahead of the summer World Cup.
Tudor’s immediate test will be a north London derby against league leaders Arsenal on February 22, a high-stakes debut as he attempts to revive Tottenham’s faltering season.
AFP
