The clock is ticking Tottenham Hotspur. A 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, a side that was written off at the wrong end of the table, has left Spurs sitting just one point and one place above the Premier League’s relegation zone, and the pressure on the club’s hierarchy to act decisively has never been greater.
Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, sporting director Johan Lange and the Lewis family must now answer an uncomfortable question: is Igor Tudor the man to pull this club back from the brink, or has his appointment bid already failed?
The Tudor problem
There is a case of sympathy for Tudor. He inherited a dressing room stripped of confidence, ravaged by injuries and poisoned by the toxic atmosphere that built up under his sacked predecessor Thomas Frank. None of this was his doing.
But sympathy only goes so far in football, and the results with the Croatian have been stark: just one win in seven games, a series of tactical changes that suggest a manager without a clear plan and precious little evidence of any emotional connection with either the fans or the players.
The nadir came in the Champions League last-16 first leg against Atlético Madrid, when Tudor’s surprising decision to start Antonin Kinsky over first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario ended in disaster. Kinsky was sent off after just 17 minutes having given the hosts three goals, com live soccer scores he continued to score at Atleti as Spurs lost 5-2. It was a moment that crystallized the chaos that defined this reign.
Those pulling the strings at the club now have to honestly ask themselves: do they really believe Tudor can turn this around or are they delaying an admission that they’ve gone terribly wrong?
Candidates for the Fire Department
Should Tudor be relieved of his duties, Spurs face an equally thorny problem, finding someone willing and able to take on a job that could end in what some say is the most humiliating relegation in Premier League history. betting sites.
Harry Redknapp he has made no secret of his desire to return, but at 79, with no managerial experience since being sacked by Birmingham City in 2017, the prospect of such an appointment would be extraordinary, and not in a good way. It would say everything about how desperate Spurs had become.
Glenn HoddleThe 68-year-old has also expressed an interest, but his last managerial role ended almost two decades ago at Wolves. Nostalgia is a comforting thing, but it rarely keeps sides at their peak.
Ryan Mason is a more credible option. A popular figure at the club, the young manager had two spells as caretaker manager at Spurs and earned genuine respect during both spells. However, his permanent role at West Brom ended with a sacking in January, and there have to be questions about whether he would like to step into such a packed environment.
Tim Sherwoodnever shy to come forward, he has publicly declared that common sense and Premier League experience would be enough to ensure survival. Confidence is rarely in short supply with Sherwood, although results during his brief spell in north London did not quite match the rhetoric.
Robbie Keaneworking with Ferencváros in Hungary, he represents an intriguing wild card, a club legend with growing managerial experience, but persuading him to leave a stable position for what amounts to a seven-game survival mission would be a big ask.
The biggest swings
Some voices at the club are pushing for a more ambitious solution: a permanent appointment capable of not only surviving this season, but completely reshaping Spurs.
Mauricio Pochettino remains the romantic choice and would almost certainly top any fan poll. The Argentine’s tenure at Spurs is fondly remembered: he transformed the club’s culture, built a team that reached the Champions League final and did it all while playing some of the most attractive football the ground has ever seen. Many supporters still hold Daniel Levy responsible for the timing of his sacking and would welcome Pochettino’s return with open arms.
The problem is time. Pochettino is currently committed to coaching the United States at the World Cup on home soil and will not be available until the tournament concludes.
That he is leaving Roberto DeZerbi as the most credible immediate option. The Italian built an exceptional reputation at Brighton and has been available since parting ways with Marseille by mutual consent in February. He is understood to be open to a move to north London, and his high-intensity brand of football would excite a fan base in need of something to believe in.
The crucial question is whether De Zerbi would be willing to inherit a possible relegation battle. With rumored interest from Manchester United, among others, he has significant leverage, and may reckon that waiting until the summer, when Spurs’ Premier League status is guaranteed or lost, is the smartest play.
The long shots
Sean Dyche he has a genuine pedigree in exactly this sort of situation, having kept both Burnley and Everton in the Premier League against the odds. His no-nonsense approach and man-management skills are well documented. Whether Spurs see him as a cultural fit for the direction they want to take the club is another matter, especially given that his last role ended with a quick exit from Nottingham Forest, of all clubs.
Gareth Southgate Also mentioned, the former England boss is yet to take on a managerial job since stepping down in 2024. His only other job as a club manager was in charge two decades ago, between 2006 and 2009, when he was in charge of Middlesbrough.
The verdict
What is clear is that inaction is no longer a viable option. With seven Premier League games remaining and the Championship looming as a genuine possibility, the Spurs hierarchy need to make a decision and make it quickly.
The Tudor time may be over, now the question is not if it will go, but when. The more difficult problem is what, and who, comes next. Get it wrong again, and the consequences for one of English football’s biggest clubs could be truly historic, for all the wrong reasons.
