Tudor gone after 44 days as Tottenham's managerial merry-go-round spins again
Igor Tudor lasted 44 days and seven matches as Tottenham head coach. The club announced on Sunday that the Croatian had left by mutual consent, confirming what most people watching the results already suspected was coming.
One win, five defeats and a relegation fight
Tudor's sole victory came in the Champions League, a 3-2 second-leg win over Atletico Madrid that was not enough to prevent a 7-5 aggregate exit. In the Premier League, where the real crisis sits, he managed one draw and four defeats from five matches. His final game was a 3-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest on March 22. Tottenham sit 17th, one point above the relegation zone, with seven games left to save their top-flight status.
The club's statement acknowledged a "recent family bereavement" suffered by Tudor, whose father died shortly after the Forest defeat. That detail puts a human cost on a situation that has otherwise been defined by boardroom chaos and results that keep getting worse.
Three managers, one season, no direction
Tudor is the third manager to leave Tottenham this season. Ange Postecoglou was sacked in June 2025 despite leading the club to their first trophy in 17 years, a Europa League title. Thomas Frank replaced him on a three-year deal, lasted eight months, and was dismissed in February with Spurs sitting 16th. Tudor was brought in as interim to steady the ship. The ship has not been steadied.
The pattern points to problems that go beyond coaching. Each appointment has come with a different philosophy, a different set of demands on the squad, and the same outcome: a team that looks confused and short of confidence.
De Zerbi the favourite but hesitant
Roberto De Zerbi is the leading candidate to take over, according to multiple reports. Tottenham have reportedly offered the former Brighton and Marseille coach a significant survival bonus to come in immediately, but De Zerbi is said to prefer waiting until the summer. He is not convinced about walking into a relegation fight with seven games to go and no pre-season to implement his ideas.
If De Zerbi says no for now, Tottenham face an unappetising list of short-term options. Sean Dyche has been mentioned, as has Mauricio Pochettino, though his commitments with the United States ahead of the World Cup make that a summer conversation at best. The club may end up turning to an internal figure to get through the final stretch.
Seven games to avoid the drop, no permanent manager, and a squad that has watched three different coaches walk out the door this season. Tottenham's problems run deeper than any appointment can fix overnight.
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