Igor Tudor has become the first Spurs manager to lose his first four games as head coach of Tottenham, but has been unable to say whether he is fit to remain at Tottenham.
Tudor endured his most disastrous game to date as Spurs manager, but despite his brief 24-day tenure there was already plenty of competition, with Atlético Madrid defeating his team 5-2 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
His questionable decision to drop experienced goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and give 22-year-old Antonin Kinski his first Champions League start backfired spectacularly, with Kinski’s mistakes leading to two of Atlético’s early three goals and forcing a U-turn after just 17 minutes.
Vicario looked disappointed when Kinski was replaced by Vicario, who conceded just five minutes into the game, allowing Robin Le Normande to score Atlético’s fourth goal. At this point, it became inevitable that the Spurs would fall into a six-game losing streak for the first time in the club’s 143-year history.
And Tudor’s challenges aren’t easy from here either. Spurs travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Then we have to endure the second leg of the European match, which is, admittedly, a little embarrassing, but it’s already over in three days.
Antonin Kinski left the pitch in the 16th minute to be replaced by Guglielmo Vicario.
Asked after the game if he was eligible to continue with Spurs, Tudor replied: “No comment.”
Explaining his decision to fire Kinski, who did not receive any approval from Tudor at the time of his substitution, the Spurs manager said: “This is extremely rare. I’ve been coaching for 15 years and this has never happened. It was necessary to preserve Kinski and preserve the team.”
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“The start of the game was too heavy at this moment when we were so fragile and weak.
“I feel sorry for Kinski. The team is with him. So am I. I was talking to him. He understands the moment and understands why he was sent off. He’s a very good goalkeeper. It’s never about one player.”
As for what he needs to do to face Liverpool this weekend, he said: “I’m going to do my best. It’s up to the coach to do what he needs to do.”
“It seems like the players were worried about Kinski’s safety, and this is the ultimate humiliation.”
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Sky Sports’ Michael Bridge talks about Tottenham’s ‘heartbreaking defeat’ against Atletico Madrid
Michael Bridge of Madrid on Sky Sports News:
“You think you’ve seen everything, but they’re going to have to talk about his (Tudor’s) future. It’s very detrimental. Some players will be unhappy with what happened during the game where Kinski was sent off.”
“I saw Joao Parinha and Conor Gallagher running to console Kinski. They are players who are concerned for his welfare. Igor Tudor did not acknowledge Kinski when he was sent off. This was the ultimate humiliation. There has been a strong tweet from David de Gea about this and the players will be speaking to Spurs officials.”
“There was also footage of Cristian Romero asking Tudor to remove Kinski. I asked Tudor about it and he denied it, but when you look at the footage, you wonder if Romero asked him to remove Kinski.”
“It’s a very damaging defeat in many ways. Tudor’s future will now be called into question. With no manager being replaced, things at Spurs are actually getting worse and could get worse before they get better. Tudor was brought in immediately to put out fires, but more fires are being created.”
Supporters Trust calls for ‘urgent action’ after defeat
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust has called for “urgent action” for interim head coach Igor Tudor, who is in crisis following the 5-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid.
Further records fell for Spurs on an unusual night when reserve goalkeeper Antonin Kinski was sent off in the 17th minute after two terrible errors.
The defeat made Tudor the first Tottenham manager to lose four games since taking over. A disastrous 5-2 defeat in the first leg of this last-16 tie also meant Spurs suffered six consecutive defeats for the first time in their history.
Tudor has only been in charge for 25 days but has refused to answer questions about his future, prompting Tottenham to take action.
THST said in a statement: “Tonight’s performance and result was absolutely disgraceful. It shows the worst of Spurs’ current situation.”
“From the January transfer window to management appointments, there has been a lack of leadership and a complete absence of someone with Spurs pedigree to inform these decisions. Where are the bold moves, where are the echoes of glory?”
“Urgent action is needed as we are now sleepwalking off the edge of a cliff. It has never been this difficult to be a Spurs fan, but supporters will not stand by and watch the club continue to decline.”
“At least those in Madrid should get their match tickets refunded. But all we really care about is that the club is proud of us. We are here to support the team and be the 12th man. But we all deserve so much more than that.”
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