Igor Tudor defends decision to start Antonin Kinsky against Atletico despite disaster in Madrid | OneFootball

Igor Tudor insisted he made the right decision to pick Antonin Kinsky against Atletico Madrid – even as he ended up substituting the goalkeeper in the 17th minute after two horrible blunders and with Tottenham 3-0 down.

The Croatian, who replied “no comment” when asked if he deserved to remain in charge of Spurs, said he had never taken a goalkeeper off as early during his 15 years as a manager and said Kinsky apologised to the team for his mistakes.

The 22-year-old Czech was surprisingly selected ahead of usual first-choice Guglielmo Vicario, who was instead brought off the bench and conceded the last two goals in Atletico’s 5-2 win.

But Tudor claimed: “It was the right decision to pick him (Kinsky) before. Toni is a very good goalkeeper. Unfortunately what happened, happened. Afterwards it is easy to say it was not a right decision.

“It happened very rare things in my coaching 15 years, I never do that. It was necessary to preserve the guy, to preserve the team. Incredible situation.”

Kinsky gave the ball away for Atletico’s sixth-minute opener, scored by Marcos Llorente, and presented it straight to Julian Alvarez for their third goal.

Tudor denied that captain Cristian Romero told him to take Kinsky off and explained why he ignored the upset goalkeeper as he went off, adding: “We don't need to comment. We don't need to speak too much. I explained to Toni, also speaking after, that he is the right guy and a good goalkeeper. Unfortunately, it happened in this big game, these mistakes.”

Tudor said Kinsky was apologetic in the dressing room and accepted the decision to take him off.

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Antonin Kinsky was comforted by his Tottenham team-mates as he left the pitch (PA Wire)

He added: “He was sorry. He made an excuse for the team. The team is with him. Me too. I was speaking with him. He understands the moment. He understands why he go out.”

Tudor has lost all four games since Tottenham appointed him and said he was not worried about being sacked.

“It is not a topic for me,” he said. “It is not about my job, it is about how to help the team. It will be always be about that.”

Spurs are waiting to discover if Romero and substitute Joao Palhinha are concussed after an injury-time clash of heads, which would rule them out of Sunday’s Premier League game against Liverpool.

“We will see,” Tudor said. “Sometimes it is difficult to explain. It looks like everything is against us. Incredible things.”