Spurs manager Igor Tudor to continue in position for upcoming match against Liverpool, according to sources.
Igor Tudor is poised to lead Tottenham in the Premier League match against Liverpool on Sunday, despite increasing scrutiny regarding his role, sources have informed ESPN.
The Croatian has suffered defeats in all four matches as interim manager following the dismissal of Thomas Frank last month. He faced renewed criticism after replacing goalkeeper Antonín Kinsky just 17 minutes into Tuesday’s Champions League round-of-16 first leg loss at Atlético Madrid.
Nevertheless, Tudor will address the media in his regular pre-match press conference on Friday, and sources have indicated to ESPN that he is anticipated to continue in his position for the upcoming trip to Anfield as the situation currently stands.
However, senior officials at Spurs are worried about the circumstances, with the club sitting just one point above the relegation zone and having not secured a Premier League victory since December 28.
Tudor, 47, was appointed partly due to his track record of taking over teams mid-season and delivering an immediate improvement in performance.
Yet Tottenham has faced significant difficulties during his four matches, conceding 14 goals in total, leading some to question his management style after he seemingly overlooked Kinsky as he exited the field in Madrid.
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At the time, Spurs were trailing 3-0, with Kinsky committing two critical mistakes—slipping for the opening goal and inadvertently assisting Julián Álvarez with a tap-in after kicking the ball against his own leg—when Tudor opted to make the substitution.
Team-mates Dominic Solanke, Conor Gallagher, and João Palhinha quickly moved to comfort Kinsky, who had been brought in to replace Guglielmo Vicario.
“It was, before the game, the right choice to do in the moment like we are, with the pressure on Vicario, another competition,” Tudor remarked afterwards.
“Toni is a very good goalkeeper. It was for me the right decision. After this, of course, it’s easy to say that it was not the right decision. So I explained to Tony also, speaking after: he’s the right guy and a good goalkeeper.
“What happened is very rare. I’ve been coaching for 15 years, I’ve never done this. It was necessary to preserve the guy, preserve the team. Incredible situation, nothing to comment.”
