Igor Tudor has taken charge as Tottenham’s interim head coach until the end of the season.

Spurs sacked Thomas Frank on Wednesday. A 2–1 home defeat to Newcastle the previous day left the club 16th in the table, just five points above the Premier League relegation zone.

Frank lasted only seven months. Tottenham won just two of their last 17 league games. The club turned to the experienced Croatian in a bid to pull clear of danger.

“It is an honour to join this club at an important moment,” Tudor said.

“I understand the responsibility and my focus is clear: to bring consistency to our performances and compete with conviction in every match.

“There is strong quality in this squad. My job is to organise it, energise it and improve results quickly.”

Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and other senior figures decided to end Frank’s tenure. They then focused on how to rescue the 2025–26 campaign.

Tottenham plan to consider a wider pool of candidates in the summer, including former boss Mauricio Pochettino. For now, they have chosen an interim solution for the final three months of the season.

The club wanted an experienced short-term appointment. Tudor fits that profile. In recent years, he stepped into roles at Lazio and Juventus mid-season and delivered immediate improvements.

Some supporters have questioned Tudor’s lack of Premier League experience. Many already feel frustrated and concerned. Relegation to the second tier for the first time since 1977 remains a real threat.

Tudor faced Spurs twice while managing Marseille in 2022. He won five of nine matches after joining Lazio in March during the 2023–24 campaign.

Last year in Turin, he guided Juventus into the Serie A top four. He secured five wins in the final two months of the season. The club dismissed him in October.

Tottenham’s hierarchy now hope he can spark a similar revival. He begins with a daunting task. His first match is the north London derby against league leaders Arsenal on February 22. He could be without up to 12 players.

Captain Cristian Romero will miss the game through suspension. Tudor often uses a three-man defence with wing-backs, so the absence presents an early challenge.

Tudor already knows several Spurs players. He worked with Randal Kolo Muani at Juventus last season. He has also coached Radu Dragusin, Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski. Bentancur and Kulusevski are currently sidelined.