Igor Tudor Sacked: Spurs Must Avoid Disastrous De Zerbi Appointment | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur have parted ways with men’s head coach Igor Tudor, after a 44-day stint that saw the Croatian take just one point from five Premier League games.

The club crashed out of Europe, lost 3-0 to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest and now sit 17th in the Premier League table, just one spot above the drop zone.

It has been widely reported that former Brighton and Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi is in the frame, but this would be another ticking time bomb of an appointment.

No To De Zerbi

Roberto De Zerbi is Tottenham’s first choice to replace Igor Tudor, as reported by various media outlets, including The Telegraph, over the past weeks.

De Zerbi was prominent in Spurs’ thinking when originally replacing Thomas Frank in February, but the Italian wanted further agreements regarding a long-term appointment.

Tottenham fan groups have already rallied against the appointment of the controversial Italian, with a ‘No to Roberto De Zerbi campaign’ being launched.

De Zerbi stoked controversy in late 2025 after his comments about Manchester United loanee Mason Greenwood, saying that his player was a ‘good guy’ who had paid a ‘heavy price’ for domestic abuse allegations he had faced in the past.

‘He’s a good guy, he paid a heavy price for what happened, a very heavy price,’ De Zerbi said. ‘He has found the right environment for him.

‘We have lent him a hand and given him affection. He’s a little bit introverted but I know him and his family. It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described in England.’

De Zerbi has left his past two clubs by mutual consent, and isn’t unknown to the odd media outburst. While a good tactician, there has been an understanding amongst teams like Manchester United and Liverpool in the past that his abrasive personality would be too big a risk to appoint for such clubs with large global outreach.

What Spurs Need

The last thing that Spurs need now is a divisive and controversial figure coming into the club with just seven games left of the season.

De Zerbi may have good tactical ideas, but his appointment would be a time bomb waiting to explode at any moment. A media outburst at Brighton & Hove Albion is one thing, but at a club the size of Tottenham Hotspur, it could have a much more damning effect.

In theory, the club has a playing squad good enough to stay in the division, with only five clubs having one worth more according to Transfermarkt. Spurs need somebody who will get these footballers onside.

Whether it’s Ryan Mason or Chris Houghton, the next pick has to be somebody tactically astute enough to navigate a relegation battle, while getting a tricky group of players to co-operate.