Seven games, 38 days: Tottenham fire Igor Tudor as manager

Who at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium thought Igor Tudor was the right man to turn things around for Spurs? Seven matches. Thirty-eight days. That is how long the Croatian coach lasted in charge of the London club. His departure, by mutual agreement just over a month after being hired through the end of the season, is now official.

It did not take long for fans and pundits alike to call for Tudor’s immediate dismissal after Tottenham’s embarrassment at the Metropolitano Stadium.

A 5-2 thrashing by Atletico Madrid exposed major issues, including the controversial substitution of Antonin Kinsky.

“The overall picture has made things a lot, a lot worse,” ex-Real Madrid midfielder Steve McManaman said on TNT Sports. Meanwhile, formrer England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live, “Igor Tudor is not the right man and he is not in the right place.”

However, Tudor initially survived and even managed to collect his first league point against Liverpool at Anfield in a 1-1 draw. That result briefly sparked optimism of a potential comeback.

Spurs were ultimately knocked out of the Champions League, but they did secure their first win under Tudor against Atleti, a 3-2 victory that also marked their first win in nearly two months across all competitions.

But that was as good as it got.

A heavy 3-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest, a direct rival in the relegation battle, proved to be the final straw. Before Matchday 31, Forest were just one point behind Tottenham.

Tudor leaves Tottenham Hotspur Stadium making unwanted history.

Not only are Spurs just one point above the relegation zone in 17th place with 30 points, ahead of 18th-place West Ham on 29, but they are now closer to a collapse not seen in North London since 1977. His tenure also statistically worsened the situation inherited from Ange Postecoglou.

The comparison is particularly damning given Postecoglou himself was previously dismissed earlier this season after a brief and difficult spell at Nottingham Forest, lasting just five games and 39 days with only one point collected.

With seven matches in charge, only five in the Premier League against Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, Tudor now sits among the shortest and least successful managerial spells in recent top-flight history.

His record of five defeats and 20 goals conceded is more than enough for Tottenham’s leadership to act.

Spurs have not won a Premier League match in 2026, now 13 straight league games without a victory. They have only won three of their last 18 matches in all competitions this calendar year.

Since the dismissal of Thomas Frank, results have worsened significantly, with many in British media describing the situation simply as a “disaster.”

“I am not worried about my position,” Tudor said earlier in his tenure.

He also insisted he needed to “keep working and not talk too much, just think about what we can do.” But time ran out.

Perhaps the most accurate assessment came from Chris Waddle on TNT Sports.

“It does not look like Igor Tudor can rescue Tottenham from this situation. But who can?”

Adi Hütter is currently one of the leading names linked with the vacancy in Britain. According to The Telegraph, Tottenham have already drawn up contingency plans, with the former Monaco manager among the main candidates.

Hütter was dismissed in October after just nine matches of the 2025-26 season.

However, the most appealing option for Spurs may be Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian, formerly of Marseille and Brighton, is reportedly open to a permanent role at Tottenham if the club remains in the Premier League.

De Zerbi previously guided Brighton into European competition for the first time in their history. Reports also suggest he could arrive alongside Sebastian Kehl as sporting director.

For now, though, everything depends on survival, something that feels increasingly uncertain in North London.