Spurs will have to win ‘this’ for Igor Tudor to land the permanent role, as per Tim Sherwood.
Tim Sherwood has not exactly wrapped Igor Tudor in comfort as the Croatian steps into one of the most volatile jobs in English football. With Thomas Frank gone and Tottenham hovering far too close to the trapdoor for comfort, Tudor has the wheel on an interim basis until the end of the season. It is a short-term firefight, and Sherwood made that crystal clear.
Tudor’s track record does not scream long-term project. His longest stint came at Hajduk Split between 2013 and 2015, where he lifted the Croatian Cup, the only major trophy on his CV. Since then, it has been a series of shorter spells, including Juventus, without ever really planting roots. Spurs plan a summer reset regardless, with Mauricio Pochettino widely viewed as the preferred full-time option if circumstances align.
Sherwood’s take was brutal in its simplicity. He believes Igor Tudor would have to produce something close to perfection to stand any chance of keeping the job. In his words, that means winning the Champions League and winning virtually every remaining Premier League game.
Here is what Sherwood had to say via Sky Sports:
“But he needs to win the Champions League and win every game in the Premier League or 90 per cent of the games in the Premier League to have any chance of taking that job on the long term.”
“That job is going to Mauricio Pochettino if he wants it and if they’re in the Premier League, which I believe they will be in.”
“The downside is so catastrophic it’s not even worth thinking about. For Tottenham Hotspur to be in the Championship next season, we need to move on. I get shivers thinking about it.”
Cut-throat from Tim Sherwood
That assessment speaks volumes about the direction Spurs appear to be leaning. The board’s thinking seems focused on a reset in the off-season rather than a reactive appointment now. Tudor, therefore, arrives in a strange position.
On one hand, he has the opportunity to manage a club of Tottenham’s stature, fight to drag them clear of relegation danger and potentially restore pride in a turbulent campaign. On the other, he is operating under the shadow of a likely pre-determined succession plan.
For Tudor, the downside is obvious. Failure to arrest the slump would not just damage his own prospects but could see the club dragged into an unthinkable relegation battle. Sherwood admitted the mere thought of Spurs dropping into the Championship sends shivers down his spine.
If he stabilises results, restores some pride and drags Spurs comfortably clear, he will have done his job. If he somehow sparks a miracle run, perhaps the conversation changes. But as things stand, the permanent seat looks reserved for someone else, and Tudor’s task is to make sure there is still a Premier League club left to inherit in the summer.