Tottenham’s interim manager Igor Tudor has expressed his “100 per cent” confidence that the club will steer clear of relegation from the Premier League.
Currently, Spurs are sitting in 16th place, only five points above the relegation zone, following the dismissal of Thomas Frank just a week ago after a brief eight-month tenure.
Tudor’s first challenge as interim manager will be the north London derby against league leaders Arsenal on Sunday. However, the 47-year-old is focused more on the present rather than the threat of relegation.
When asked if Spurs were fighting against relegation, Tudor stated on Friday, “This is not important. To be clear, whether you’re fighting for relegation, top position, or UEFA qualification, it’s all about what you accomplish during the week.”
“Your position is determined by your performance on Sundays. There’s no benefit in fixating on relegation or worrying about fighting for a specific outcome. The goals are distant; I don’t give them too much weight. I focus on today’s training.”
“That’s what I expect the players to concentrate on. I emphasize what needs to be done in training, providing individualized advice and support. It’s all about that. Our league position is merely a byproduct of these efforts.”
“Whether the gap is five, ten, or two points, the approach should remain unchanged. We must maintain our focus on evolving as a team. That’s the journey, and we should prioritize this and see what we can achieve.”
Pushed on his confidence in keeping Spurs in the Premier League for next season, Tudor affirmed, “100 per cent.”
Dominic Solanke is expected to recover from a sickness bug, though Tudor revealed he is currently training with just 13 players. The team is facing challenges without Cristian Romero, who is serving a suspension, along with several injuries involving players like James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohamed Kudus, and Lucas Bergvall.
“It’s quite unusual to be missing 10 players due to injuries,” Tudor commented. “Training with only 13 is not ideal, but it also presents a significant challenge to overcome this situation.”
“We will have at least 13 available, which should suffice for us to achieve our objectives on Sunday. That’s our primary focus. We recognize the significance of this match.”
“This clash is a north London derby. Everyone is counting on us to earn three points, and we understand that responsibility.”
– Why it’s so tough to break into the Premier League’s top six
– What players really think when a new manager arrives at Tottenham and Nottingham Forest
– Tottenham vs Arsenal: TV channel, kick-off time, live stream, referee, injury and team news
“My aim throughout these initial training sessions is to foster a genuine team spirit. We want to build a team that is ready to endure, to fight, to run, and to adopt the right mindset.”
“This is just the beginning. I’ve been working on various aspects because football involves more than just physicality—it requires a clear vision of our objectives, both when we have the ball and when we don’t, handling pressure, and positioning defensively.”
“We’re putting in a lot of effort, but the foundation is always about mentality, as the people come before the players.”