Tottenham’s interim manager Igor Tudor has expressed he is “100 per cent” certain that the club will steer clear of relegation from the Premier League.
Currently, Spurs are positioned 16th in the standings, merely five points above the relegation zone, following the dismissal of Thomas Frank last week after a brief tenure of eight months.
Tudor’s inaugural match will be the north London derby against league leaders Arsenal on Sunday, but the 47-year-old emphasized that he is not contemplating the threat of relegation.
When asked if Spurs were engaged in a relegation battle, Tudor stated on Friday: “This is not significant. To clarify, striving for every position—whether it’s relegation, the top spot, or UEFA [European qualification]—is about how you perform during the week.”
“Your position is determined by your actions on Sunday. Thus, it is always a result of that. Worrying about relegation or ‘I’m fighting for this’ yields nothing.”
“All these objectives are distant. I do not assign them importance. I never discuss results or what we need to accomplish by season’s end. I do not subscribe to that belief. I focus on today’s training.”
“This is what I want the players to concentrate on. I emphasize the aspects we need to address in training, and after discussions, I provide individual guidance, all I have—support and the right advice. It all revolves around that. The table position is merely a result of this.”
“[The gap] could be five, ten, or two points. The mindset must remain consistent. We need to concentrate on what we aspire to become as a team. That is the process, that is the journey, so let’s focus on this and see what we can achieve.”
When pressed on his confidence regarding Spurs remaining a Premier League team next season, Tudor responded: “100 per cent.”
Dominic Solanke is anticipated to recover from a sickness bug, but Tudor disclosed that he is training with only 13 players ahead of Sunday’s match as Spurs continue to manage without Cristian Romero due to suspension and a lengthy injury list that includes James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohamed Kudus, and Lucas Bergvall.
“This is a very unusual situation, with 10 players [absent], significant injuries as well,” Tudor remarked. “So we conducted training with 13 players; it is what it is. It’s not ideal, but it presents an even greater challenge to overcome this situation.”
“We will have thirteen players, for sure, and that is sufficient to accomplish what we aim for on Sunday. That is the primary objective. I recognize the significance of this match.”
“This is a derby, a north London derby. Everyone expects three points from us, and we are conscious of this.”
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“However, my aim in these initial sessions has been to foster a sense of teamwork. To cultivate a team with the true essence of the word. A team that is willing to endure, to battle, to exert effort, and to possess the right mentality.”
“Additionally, this marks the beginning. I have been focusing on numerous aspects, as football encompasses more than just that. It involves having a clear vision of our objectives, very specific actions we want to implement. With the ball, without the ball. When under pressure, when we are in a low block.”
“Thus, we are working diligently, but the foundation is always about mentality because the individuals come before the football player.”
