Sports: Tudor Challenges Spurs to Show Courage in Relegation Battle
Interim Tottenham manager Igor Tudor has delivered a blunt message to his struggling players, saying they must decide whether to “cry or fight” as the club battles to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
Tudor, 47, has endured a miserable start since replacing Thomas Frank on 14 February, overseeing four consecutive defeats—three of them in the league.
The poor run has left Tottenham Hotspur just one point above the relegation zone ahead of a daunting trip to face reigning champions Liverpool FC on Sunday.
Spurs’ season reached a new low in midweek when they were thrashed 5–2 by Atletico Madrid after falling 4–0 behind inside the opening 22 minutes.
Speaking ahead of the weekend clash, Tudor admitted the situation was difficult but insisted the team must respond with resilience.
“It’s not an easy moment. It’s a big challenge to change things,” Tudor said.
“Like everything in life, you can choose how to see the situation. You can cry or you can fight. You can be the victim or you can change something. That is the message I gave the players.”
He added that difficult periods can often bring growth if players respond positively.
“The bottle is either half empty or half full. At the moment there are a lot of empty things. But difficult moments don’t last forever. Those who stand up and try to change things will become better players and better people.”
Tudor was appointed partly due to his reputation for quick impact at previous clubs, including a spell with Italian giants Juventus FC, but results have yet to improve.
Spurs have now lost six matches in all competitions and have not recorded a league victory since 28 December, deepening fears of a first top-flight relegation since 1977.
Meanwhile, defender Micky van de Ven described the chaotic start against Atletico as a “doomsday scenario”.
The disastrous opening also saw young goalkeeper Antonín Kinský substituted just 17 minutes into his Champions League debut—a decision that drew criticism.
Tudor, however, backed the youngster to recover from the setback.
“He will play again for sure,” the Croatian said. “He came back the next day and trained very well. Everyone makes mistakes. I believe he has the strength and quality to have a very good career.”
Tottenham have scored five goals but conceded 14 during Tudor’s four matches in charge, highlighting the scale of the task facing the interim boss as the north London club fights to avoid a historic drop.
