Tottenham roll the dice on ‘fixer’ Igor Tudor as Paratici at the heart of Spursy manager circus | OneFootball

Tottenham have scoured the interim manager market and landed on someone with no Premier League experience whatsoever in Igor Tudor, who was sacked by Juventus in October after leading them on eight-game winless run. This could be really grim/very funny.

Spurs sacked Thomas Frank on Wednesday after their 2-1 defeat to Newcastle on Tuesday evening left them just five points clear of the relegation zone after failing to win any of their last eight Premier League games, losing four of them.

Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino are thought to be Tottenham’s preferred permanent successors to Frank, but the former has decided to take a break from football after what looked like an exhausting end to his time at Marseille (as all endings appear to be for the eccentric Italian), while Pochettino will lead USMNT at the World Cup.

John Heitinga was in the frame to be promoted from assistant to caretaker boss, but Spurs have instead opted for Tudor in a bolt from the blue which has many of the necessary markers of disaster.

The 47-year-old has had a varied managerial career, including stints at Marseille, Galatasaray and several Serie A clubs among others, and Spurs will have been attracted to his reputation as a ‘fixer’, coming into clubs during the season and turning things around, having done that at Udinese (twice), Hellas Verona and Lazio.

But the eagle-eyed among you will notice a trend in those clubs, all in Serie A, and Tudor not only has no Premier League experience but has only ever managed two games against Premier League opposition – Tottenham ironically; both defeats while in charge of Marseille in 2022.

He’s known for intense, high-pressing, direct football, which may suit Spurs owing to their lack of ball-playing midfielders, and something of a no-nonsense attitude, both with players and club chiefs. He left both Marseille and Lazio after falling out with the hierarchy.

He absolutely could be the kick up the arse a floundering football club that’s completely lost its way needs, but the way things unravelled at Juventus in his most recent role should be a huge concern.

“Am I someone who resolves problems? I consider myself a coach,” Tudor said when announced as Juventus’ new manager just under a year ago. Probably an entertainer third.

“I started coaching young and I’ve been doing it for 10-15 years, I have gone around a lot, I can also be a bit particular because I make choices with my heart.”

As will be the task at Spurs, he was charged with stabilising the Old Lady, and managed to lead them into the Champions League, and the same uptick in passion and tactical stability showed by the Serie A side in that last part of the season will see Tottenham cruise away from the relegation zone in what remains of the current campaign.

But the attack dried up after he was handed a long-term deal in the summer of 2025. The creativity was lacking and there was no clear evidence of tactical instruction in the final third. Sound familiar?

Another very Spurs(y) quirk to Tudor’s appointment is Fabio Paratici calling for him to replace Frank last month, Frank then outlasting Paratici – who left, sick of being ignored – before Frank was sacked and now Tudor hired. It’s exactly the sort of joined-up thinking we’ve come to expect from the Spurs powers that be and we’re thoroughly looking forward to Paratici’s return for a third spell.

It’s the sort of appointment that, if it comes off, will be hailed as a stroke of genius. But that’s also an appointment that indicates a not insignificant amount of risk. What if the ‘fixer’ can only fix Serie A clubs? What if the good, passionate bit comes to nothing and Spurs are left with a spiky operator who hates everything about the football club (Spurs have seen that before)?

Frank had to go, but Spurs fans will have hoped for his replacement to failsafe them against relegation. What’s actually happened is the board have thrown the dice. Again, this could be really grim/very funny.