LONDON – Tottenham Hotspur and manager Igor Tudor have mutually agreed to part ways after just 44 days, the club confirmed on Friday, March 29, 2026. The move comes as Tottenham identify themselves embroiled in a desperate fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League, a scenario almost unthinkable for the North London club.
Tudor, appointed on February 14 following the dismissal of Thomas Frank, was unable to engineer a turnaround in Tottenham’s fortunes. During his brief tenure, Spurs collected only one point from five Premier League matches, leaving them precariously positioned just one point above the relegation zone.
The Croatian manager’s final match in charge was a damaging 3-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest last Sunday. That loss, the team’s fourth in five league games, proved to be the breaking point. Adding to the difficult circumstances, Tudor had recently returned to Croatia following the death of his father, a deeply personal loss that the club acknowledged in its statement.
Whereas Tudor oversaw a victory against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League round of 16, a 3-2 win at home wasn’t enough to overcome a heavy 5-2 first-leg defeat in Spain. That Champions League exit, coupled with the Premier League struggles, painted a bleak picture of Tottenham’s season.
The situation is particularly jarring considering Tottenham’s recent managerial instability. Frank himself had replaced Ange Postecoglou earlier in the campaign, despite Postecoglou leading the team to the Europa League title last season. Now, the club is searching for its third head coach of the season, highlighting a period of significant turmoil.
Tudor’s short spell was marked by both flashes of potential and concerning issues. He notably substituted goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after just 17 minutes during the first leg against Atlético Madrid following two early errors, a bold move that ultimately couldn’t prevent a significant defeat. He also ended a six-game losing streak with a draw against Liverpool, offering a brief respite for supporters.
However, the underlying problems persisted. Tudor became only the second Tottenham manager in Premier League history to lose his first three league matches in charge, a dubious distinction previously held by Martin Jol in 2004. This statistic underscores the scale of the challenge he faced and his inability to quickly impact results.
The club has confirmed that members of Tudor’s coaching staff, including goalkeeping coach Tomislav Rogic and physical coach Riccardo Ragnacci, have also departed. Bruno Salter, Tudor’s former assistant, will oversee training in the interim, working with the players who remain at the club’s training base during the international break.
Tottenham are now working to appoint a new head coach with urgency, hoping to have someone in place before the majority of the squad returns from international duty. The aim is to provide the new manager with roughly ten days to prepare for the crucial away trip to Sunderland on April 12. That match represents a pivotal opportunity for Tottenham to distance themselves from the relegation battle.
The club’s decision to part ways with Tudor, while swift, reflects the severity of the situation. Tottenham’s precarious league position demands immediate action, and the hope is that a new manager can instill stability and guide the team to safety. The pressure is immense, and the stakes couldn’t be higher as Tottenham fight to preserve their Premier League status.
The search for a new manager will undoubtedly be a complex one, with the club needing to identify a candidate capable of quickly addressing the team’s issues and inspiring a positive response from the players. The next appointment will be critical in determining Tottenham’s fate this season and beyond.
As Tottenham navigate this challenging period, the focus will be on finding a manager who can not only secure Premier League survival but also lay the foundation for a more stable and successful future. The club’s supporters will be hoping for a swift and decisive resolution to the managerial vacancy, and a return to the form expected of a club with Tottenham’s history and ambition.
The next few weeks will be crucial for Tottenham Hotspur. The appointment of a new manager, coupled with a determined effort from the players, will be essential if they are to avoid the unthinkable and maintain their place in the Premier League.
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