As new managers take charge at Tottenham and Forest, insights into player perceptions of a coaching change are revealed.

Nedum Onuoha spent 14 seasons in the Premier League with Manchester City, Sunderland, and Queens Park Rangers before concluding his career with MLS team Real Salt Lake. He joined ESPN in 2020, making appearances on ESPN FC, and has since served as ESPN’s primary studio analyst in England. His articles provide insights from his perspective as a former player on significant current topics.

When a team undergoes a managerial change midseason, it can feel like an unwelcome adjustment for players. They are thrust into what resembles a mini-preseason and must quickly demonstrate their abilities in a highly unpredictable setting. For the Tottenham Hotspur players who witnessed Thomas Frank’s dismissal and the appointment of Igor Tudor, there is the added challenge of knowing almost nothing about the individual tasked with stabilizing the team, as he lacks Premier League experience both as a player and a coach.

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The football community in England is extensive, yet it can also feel quite intimate the longer one is involved. Players maintain connections with friends, former teammates, and coaches across the board. A few Spurs players, including Rodrigo Bentancur, Radu Dragusin, and Dejan Kulusevski, have previously interacted with Tudor during his time on Andrea Pirlo’s coaching staff at Juventus, prompting other squad members to inquire about him and reach out to contacts who have worked with the Croatian for further insights.

I can envision that England under-21 international Lloyd Kelly, who played for AFC Bournemouth and Newcastle United before joining Juventus last year, has received calls and messages from Spurs players eager for information about Tudor, who was his head coach at Juve for seven months last year.

Tudor’s appointment came as a surprise, and many Spurs players may have had little to no knowledge of him as a person or coach. However, before he conducts his first training session, they will likely have gathered enough information from various sources regarding his player management style, training methods, and tactical preferences to form a basic understanding of his approach to the game.

Regardless of their feelings about the new appointment, the Spurs players will aim to start positively under the new coach, even though he will only oversee 12 Premier League matches and however long Spurs remain in the UEFA Champions League.

While players may quickly form opinions about the new coach, they will also strive to conclude the season in a better position than they currently find themselves in—none of them wish to be part of the first Spurs team relegated in nearly 50 years—because individual pride is significant. Additionally, many are focused on ensuring they can participate in the FIFA World Cup with their national teams.

Sunday’s match against Arsenal—Tudor’s inaugural game in charge—will hold great significance for the players, as they aim to avoid reaching a breaking point with the fans. This could occur if they were to suffer a heavy defeat against their biggest rivals on home ground.

If the situation begins poorly, some players may disengage. I have witnessed this firsthand when a player informs a coach that they will outlast him at the club. When such a sentiment arises, it indicates a shift toward negativity.

The Spurs players likely anticipated that change was imminent. Reflecting on my experiences, it is uncommon to be taken by surprise by a managerial change. Managers are, after all, human beings. It is challenging for them to continue in their roles while pretending that nothing is amiss when they are facing dismissal.

As conditions worsen, a sense of resentment may develop toward results, players, and issues that previously did not cause stress. It becomes apparent when a manager has lost the group. Sometimes this loss of connection can stem not solely from results but from a noticeable shift in the principles that once defined the team.

Thus, when a new manager arrives, it represents a fresh start, allowing players to redefine themselves. If they state, ‘we train at 3 p.m.,’ and that becomes the standard, everyone accepts it. If they outline the expectations they have, that is acceptable. However—and perhaps this is human nature—over time, some individuals may begin to make exceptions for certain players. Yet, given Tudor’s brief contract, he may not reach that point.

In this interim capacity, Tudor can make a swift impact, gain the players’ trust—acting as a motivator and organizer—and achieve his goal of keeping Spurs in the Premier League. Their potential is evident, but being an interim manager can complicate maintaining support within the squad. This was evident during Ralf Rangnick’s unsuccessful six-month interim tenure at Manchester United in 2022.

When Roberto Mancini took over from Mark Hughes as Manchester City manager in 2009, he lacked any significant standing among the City players due to his identity, but he was the first appointment of the new ownership, which meant he had the authority to implement any changes he deemed necessary. There were no discussions; it was his way, his style, and that was final. He is the only coach I have ever encountered who instructed the players that we were not permitted to laugh while jogging around the training pitch for warm-ups.

However, we recognized Mancini as the future, which empowered him to be a true authority figure. The Spurs players are aware that Tudor is unlikely to be the long-term solution, making the club’s decision to hire him in their current predicament appear risky.

I have experienced midseason managerial changes multiple times throughout my playing career, and they seldom yield positive results. Mancini was perhaps the sole coach who improved the situation for the team. Typically, a new coach will arrive and immediately claim that the players lack fitness. This serves as a tactic to buy time if initial results and performances are subpar because, if the players are unfit, it reflects poorly on the previous manager, correct?

play1:18Was Nottingham Forest right to sack Sean Dyche?

ESPN’s Nedum Onuoha and Julien Laurens discuss Nottingham Forest’s decision to dismiss Sean Dyche after just 114 days in charge.

The circumstances at Nottingham Forest are on an entirely different level. The players are now under their fourth coach of the season after Vítor Pereira was appointed to replace Sean Dyche, who had taken over from Ange Postecoglou, the early-season replacement for Nuno Espírito Santo.

They have experienced an extraordinary season, shifting from one playing style to another, but they may have finally settled on the most sensible appointment in Pereira. He is familiar with the league, has a track record of making an immediate impact during his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers, and is also more approachable than the coaches who preceded him at Forest.

If I were part of the Forest squad, encountering four coaches in a single season would create an atmosphere where one might begin to question whether they are at the right football club. However, Forest might only be two strong weeks away from securing their Premier League status, providing them with a glimpse of a way out of their predicament.

Spurs should also possess enough capability to ensure their survival, but there is no denying that Tudor’s appointment is peculiar. We will soon find out whether he is the right choice or a reckless gamble by the club.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to ESPN senior writer Mark Ogden