Pressure is quickly intensifying on Igor Tudor at Tottenham Hotspur, with his troubled start in north London beginning to mirror the difficult period he once experienced at Olympique de Marseille.
Tottenham’s campaign reached another concerning point on Thursday night after a 3–1 home defeat to Crystal Palace. The loss left Spurs hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone and extended their poor run of form. Tudor, who was appointed following the February departure of Thomas Frank after a series of disappointing results, has yet to halt the slide. The Croatian manager has now suffered three defeats in his first three matches in charge, raising serious concerns about the club’s direction as the season approaches its final stages.
For Tudor, the current situation may feel familiar. During his spell with Marseille between 2022 and 2023, the 47-year-old guided the club to a respectable third-place finish in Ligue 1. Despite that achievement, tensions around the club steadily increased, and Tudor eventually stepped down after just one season, later admitting the constant pressure had taken a heavy mental toll.
His time in southern France was marked by friction between the manager and several members of the squad. Many players had developed a strong bond with former coach Jorge Sampaoli, who resigned amid disagreements over the club’s transfer strategy. When Tudor arrived to replace him, the reaction inside the dressing room was far from enthusiastic, and early indications suggested relations between the new manager and the players could become strained.
Reports suggested that pre-season quickly turned into a flashpoint. Brazilian midfielder Gerson was said to have clashed with Tudor during a heated exchange and was subsequently excluded from training sessions. On the same day, full-back Jordan Amavi was also removed from the first-team environment following a dispute with the coach. Winger Cengiz Ünder reportedly confronted Tudor as well, although he was not removed from the squad in the same way.
Tudor’s demanding approach was at the heart of the unrest. The Croatian coach has long been known for insisting on relentless intensity from his players and made it clear that physical commitment was non-negotiable. At the time, he explained that players in his teams must run tirelessly and warned that those who repeatedly failed to meet his standards in training would face consequences.
There were also unusual developments behind the scenes. Former Italian international Mauro Camoranesi joined Tudor’s staff and was introduced to the squad as the manager’s “right arm.” However, his spell lasted only a week before he abruptly left the role, adding further instability to an already tense situation.
After Tudor eventually departed Marseille — before later having a brief spell with Lazio — club president Pablo Longoria spoke about the immense pressure the manager had faced. Longoria suggested Tudor had been caught in the middle of internal divisions, with some pushing for Sampaoli’s return while others sought greater influence for the players. According to him, the atmosphere during pre-season felt as tense as a decisive match late in the campaign, with fan groups also adding to the pressure.
Now at Tottenham, Tudor appears ready to adopt a similarly firm stance if required. Following the defeat to Palace, he hinted that difficult decisions could soon be made regarding which players are truly committed to his methods. While acknowledging the disappointing result, the Croatian insisted he had noticed signs of improvement and now needed to identify those willing to follow his vision.
Using a nautical metaphor, Tudor said the squad must move together in the same direction, warning that anyone unable to adapt to his approach could be left behind.
Tottenham’s schedule offers little relief. Spurs will first travel to Spain to face Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie. Soon after, they return to domestic action with a daunting away match against Liverpool F.C., a fixture that could further test Tudor’s authority as he attempts to stop Tottenham’s alarming decline. ⚽
