Tudor Era Ends at Tottenham After Just Seven Matches as Relegation Looms

Tottenham Hotspur severed ties with interim head coach Igor Tudor on Sunday, bringing the Croatian’s brief and turbulent White Hart Lane tenure to a close after only 44 days and seven competitive fixtures. The parting, described in a club statement as “mutually agreed,” leaves Spurs without a permanent manager with seven Premier League games remaining and the club clinging to top-flight survival.

Tudor, appointed on 14 February until the end of the season, departs with a record of five defeats from his seven matches, including four consecutive losses at the start of his reign. His final game in charge, a 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest on 22 March, left Tottenham 17th in the table—one point above the relegation places—and extended the club’s winless league run to 13 matches dating back to December.

The 3-0 reverse also came amid personal tragedy for the 47-year-old coach; the club confirmed that Tudor’s father had passed away shortly after the final whistle and that the manager would not face the media. Sunday’s statement extended condolences, reading: “We also acknowledge the bereavement that Igor has recently suffered and send our support to him and his family at this difficult time.”

Tudor’s spell was marred by on-field setbacks and off-field scrutiny. In Europe, he guided Spurs to a round-of-16 Champions League exit against Atlético Madrid, headlined by a 5-2 first-leg loss in Spain during which he substituted backup goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after only 17 minutes. The public nature of the change, and Tudor’s refusal to acknowledge the 22-year-old as he left the pitch, drew heavy criticism from pundits, with former Manchester United keeper Peter Schmeichel claiming the decision “killed” the young keeper’s confidence.

Domestically, the north London outfit never found rhythm under Tudor. A 4-1 derby defeat to Arsenal in his first match set the tone, and a subsequent six-match losing streak equaled the worst sequence in the club’s 144-year history. The manager’s post-match assessment of Arsenal as “probably the best team in the world at this moment,” while arguably accurate, further alienated a support base desperate for signs of fight.

Tottenham has occupied a place in England’s top division since 1978 and has been an ever-present in the Premier League since its 1992 inception. Survival now hinges on seven remaining fixtures and, crucially, on the identity of the next permanent appointment. Chairman Daniel Levy’s shortlist is believed to include former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi, ex-Monaco coach Adi Hütter, and Sean Dyche, recently departed from Everton. Club stalwart Ryan Mason, twice previously interim, remains an internal option, while 79-year-old former manager Harry Redknapp has publicly declared his willingness to return.

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust summarized fan sentiment in a social-media post: “In a season of bad calls, let’s hope we now see a wise choice for the remainder of the campaign… someone who understands the club and is up to the task in front of them: retaining our Premier League status.”

With no manager, no league victory since 15 December, and a goal difference of minus 19 under Tudor, Spurs enter the season’s final stretch in crisis. Whoever takes the reins will inherit a squad low on confidence but rich in top-flight experience and facing a battle that will define the club’s modern era.