Tottenham Hotspur have officially confirmed the appointment of Igor Tudor as their interim manager until the end of the current season, subject to work permit approval. The former Juventus manager steps in to replace Thomas Frank, who was dismissed on Wednesday with Tottenham perilously close to the Premier League relegation zone.
The Croatian and Tottenham’s hierarchy reached a verbal agreement on Friday, which has now been formalized. This move comes after a disappointing run under Frank, who managed only two wins in 17 league games. His dismissal followed a 2-1 defeat against Newcastle United.
Tudor inherits a team that is currently just five points above the relegation zone. The former Croatia defender will be tasked with turning around Tottenham's fortunes and steering them clear of relegation danger.
Igor Tudor, Tottenham manager, said:
“It is an honour to join this club at an important moment. 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, and my job is to organise it, energise it and improve our results quickly.”
Tudor's track record
At Juventus, Tudor showcased his managerial prowess by guiding them from outside Champions League places to a fourth-place finish late in the 2024-25 campaign. He achieved this feat by losing just one of his first 11 games in charge. However, he was unable to replicate that form this season at Juventus and was dismissed in October following an eight-match winless streak that left them struggling in eighth place in Serie A table. In addition to Juventus, Tudor has had successful spells at Lazio, Marseille, Verona, Hajduk Split, Galatasaray and Udinese.
Following their FA Cup exit earlier this year and subsequent managerial changeover period,Tottenham’s players have been given time off until Monday before they regroup under new management for their next match - the north London derby against Premier League leaders Arsenal on February 22nd.
This decision mirrors Manchester United's recent strategy when they appointed Michael Carrick as interim manager after dismissing Ruben Amorim. Prior to settling on Tudor, Tottenham had been linked with former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzić and ex-RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose. While Tudor takes the reins for now, speculation is rife about who will take over as the permanent manager. Candidates are likely to include their former manager Mauricio Pochettino after his United States commitments at the World Cup in June and July.
