Igor Tudor Sets Goals for Tottenham Ahead of North London Derby
Tottenham Hotspur has appointed Igor Tudor as interim manager for the remainder of the 2025/26 season after Thomas Frank was let go last week.
At White Hart Lane, Tudor’s main aims are to boost the team’s performance, avoid relegation, provide stability, and see how far he can advance in the UEFA Champions League. The 47-year-old has a solid background in management, having led clubs like Juventus, Lazio, Marseille, Galatasaray, and Hajduk Split since starting his career in 2012.
Most recently, Tudor managed Juventus, taking over mid-season after Thiago Motta’s exit. He successfully secured Champions League qualification for Juventus on the last day of the previous season. However, a string of eight winless matches at the start of the 2025/26 season led to his dismissal by the club.
Tudor Sets High Expectations for Tottenham Players Before Derby
Criticism has emerged from both fans and analysts regarding Tudor’s appointment. TalkSPORT’s Ally McCoist believes Tudor could face challenges with Tottenham’s tough fixture list, while former manager Tim Sherwood has outlined high expectations for Tudor to secure a permanent position.
Tudor’s immediate focus must be on achieving positive results in the Premier League, starting with the challenging North London Derby against Arsenal at home this Sunday. He led his first training session with the team on Monday and gave an initial interview with the club discussing the upcoming match.
In his interview with SPURSPLAY (via the official Tottenham website), Tudor emphasized the need for his players to eliminate excuses and “give something more” to avoid the threat of relegation.
“The first priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments,” Tudor articulated.
“The team needs to build confidence and courage, along with practical improvements on the pitch.
“I understand the situation I’m coming into. There’s no time for excuses. From day one, all of us, including the players, need to contribute more because the current club standing is unacceptable for any Tottenham fan. We recognize this, but merely acknowledging it isn’t enough.”
“The challenges are real, especially with a number of injured players. Our first goal is to determine the best system that fits the available players. It’s a unique situation.”