Tottenham names Igor Tudor interim manager till end of season
LONDON (AP) — Tottenham appointed Igor Tudor as interim manager on Saturday after Thomas Frank was fired three days ago.
The former Juventus coach takes over till the end of the season at a time when Spurs is just five points above the relegation zone in the Premier League.
“It is an honour to join this club at an important moment,” Tudor said. “I understand the responsibility I have been handed and my focus is clear. To bring greater consistency to our performances and compete with conviction in every match.
“There is strong quality in this playing squad and my job is to organise it, energise it and improve our results quickly.”
Juventus fired Tudor on Oct. 27 following three straight losses and an eight-match winless run, with the Italian powerhouse eighth in Serie A.
The 47-year-old Croatian was previously in charge of Lazio, Udinese, Marseille, Galatasaray and other clubs in Croatia and elsewhere.
Tudor is the sixth head coach in less than seven years at Spurs since Mauricio Pochettino left in 2019.
“Igor brings clarity, intensity and experience of stepping into challenging moments and producing impact,” Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange said. “Our objective is straightforward – to stabilise performances, maximise the quality within the squad and compete strongly in the Premier League and Champions League.”
Frank was fired after he failed to build on his previous success at London rival Brentford.
Despite leading Spurs to the round of 16 in the Champions League, Frank has overseen a desperate domestic campaign. A 2-1 loss to Newcastle on Tuesday was greeted by boos from the home fans and left the club without a league win in 2026.
The home defeat to Newcastle extended a woeful run to one win in 11 in England’s top flight.
Spurs dropped to 16th in the standings, two places above the relegation zone.
Frank was appointed at the end of last season when Ange Postecoglou was fired despite leading Tottenham to its first trophy in 17 years by winning the Europa League, and securing Champions League qualification.
Tottenham’s next fixture is at home to local rival Arsenal in the Premier League on Feb. 22.
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