Manager Johan Lange has defended Tottenham’s lack of activity in the final weeks of the winter transfer window, revealing that interim manager Igor Tudor could earn the role permanently.
Lange faced the media on Friday and explained why Spurs turned to Tudor after sacking Thomas Frank, despite his lack of Premier League experience.
Tudor are used to mid-season additions and difficult positions, but will be without at least 11 players for Sunday’s visit to rivals Arsenal.
“We interviewed several (tentative) candidates, and Igor made a very strong impression on us in the interview,” Lange explained.
“If you come here on Monday and play on the weekend, you need to build relationships with the players right away.
“You need to join a club to build relationships, but of course you need to immediately assess the style of the club, and he has shown that with great success by joining that club, not just once but several times.
“That’s one of the reasons why we believe he’s the best candidate here right now, but also taking into account his reputation and career track record. Of course, if things go well, he could be here for a long time.”
Spurs lost nine players to injury last month, but 19-year-old left-back Souza was the only addition to the club’s meager squad after Conor Gallagher signed a £34.7m deal on January 14.
“Personally, I believe that the new format in Europe has changed the dynamics a little bit,” sporting director Lange said.
“We have two very competitive games (in January) and the fact is that not only us but a lot of teams have too many injuries.
“(It) means that in January we had very few players who could make a difference for us now or in the future, and even though the squad is too short, there are still players who cannot be registered in the last 16 (of the Champions League), but the question returns to the main topic.”
“So, unfortunately for me, it doesn’t make sense to bring in players who can’t help us now or who don’t have potential in the future.”
Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has already expressed his dissatisfaction with the club’s current state on social media twice in 2026.
“Romero is here. He is our captain and he is here on a long-term contract with the club,” Lange pointed out.
“I think we’ve made it clear as a club that we’ve dealt with that internally and now it’s about coming together.”
What Tudor needs to change at Spurs
Sky Sports News reporter Michael Bridge:
Igor Tudor’s job specifications are very simple. Keep Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. Relegation is completely unthinkable for a club of Spurs’ size, but after their disastrous defeat in the league, it is now a distinct possibility.
But Tudor said in his first press conference that he was “100 per cent confident” the Spurs would stay.
The Croatian’s contract runs until the end of the season, by which time Spurs’ focus will shift to finding Frank’s permanent successor.
But will Tudor be able to count himself in this final match? These are the five things he must change to have a chance of staying at Spurs, or perhaps getting another Premier League job:
- Appeared in the North London Derby
- Make home games great again
- Try to keep your team healthy
- I hate losing
- Let’s unite the fans
Appeared in the North London Derby
this is of A match between both clubs. But Arsenal held onto that bragging rights for a while.
In fact, Spurs’ last win against their arch-rivals was in May 2023, with a 3-0 victory over Arsenal all but sealing their place in the Champions League. Gary Neville said he had never heard a stadium this loud. He reiterated this point on social media just a few days ago, saying this is his favorite derby.
Show up doesn’t seem very ambitious. But Spurs were absent at the Emirates in November. Eberechi Eze, who turned down Spurs to join Arsenal in the summer, scored a humiliating hat-trick.
Spurs’ worst team showed up with a trip to Arsenal. There’s no need to add any spice to this match, but Arsenal’s very disappointing draw against Wolves put their title eligibility in doubt and gave Spurs a bit of hope.
If Spurs can finish the game and supporters can watch the players compete from start to finish, Tudor’s team will have a good reputation and build on it. It will be important to get up from the right footing.
Make home games great again
Spurs are the only team without a win in the Premier League in 2026. Since the start of the season, their only home win has been against Brentford on December 6th. A result of 2 wins, 4 draws and 7 losses at home is completely unacceptable.
The last few seasons have been very dire for home supporters.
There is no doubt that this is one of the most impressive stadiums in world football. But it’s about time for Spurs fans to enjoy their day.
Spurs have lost 45 league games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. In comparison, Arsenal have lost just four more times at the Emirates despite calling the stadium another 13 years.
There’s no better game to make you feel at home again.
Try to keep your team healthy
It’s certainly easier said than done, but managers have to manage their teams through this increasingly demanding fixture list. Don’t forget that Spurs are still in the Champions League. It can be an unwanted distraction.
Mo Kudus and Pedro Polo were concerned about overplay, and both suffered injuries. Rodrigo Bentancur, who is often preferred over Joao Parinha, required careful treatment after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, but has now been sidelined for much of the season with another issue.
Previous manager Ange Postecoglou was blamed for a disastrous injury list due to his style of play, but this season’s injury list is just as bad, if not worse.
Dominic Solanke’s new injury could be fatal. He missed most of the season with ankle problems.
If Tudor can sack Randal Kolo Muani, as he did at Juventus, Richarlison could be able to fit back in and manage the forward’s playing time.
I hate losing
Is there anyone who doesn’t like losing? But it has become the norm at Spurs and it has to stop.
Last season, most of the bottom three teams had fallen in the standings as of February. This allowed Postecoglou’s Spurs to set their sights on Europa League glory. This season is completely different from previous ones, with the threat of relegation being real.
Spurs fans have not been entertained this season and have been highly critical of Frank’s style of play.
Asked about playing style and fan demands, Tudor was quick to point out that playing style demands only come into play during pre-season and that this club is currently in a state of emergency.
This caused journalists to nod at Friday’s press conference. He’s right. The Spurs have to stop losing and start winning.
They will win by a landslide from now on.
Let’s unite the fans
Now, if you can combine the above four points, you will not only unite your fans, but also endear yourself to them.
There were some unpleasant moments between the team and the supporters during the season, most notably at Bournemouth where Pedro Polo and Micky van de Ven had to be separated.
Burnley were made uncomfortable as the packed away team made their feelings known to Frank on their way back to the dressing room. All supporters fully agreed that changes were needed.
They were impressed by Tudor’s first press conference. Later that Friday, photos appeared on social media of the team out for a meal at trendy Muswell Hill with Tudor. We haven’t seen anything like that since the Pochettino era.
Spurs fans were divided on Postecoglou. While many love him for winning his first trophy in 17 years, others think he is too embarrassed to reveal his 17th place finish in the league. Fans did not accept Frank at all.
Both coaches need to keep that in mind. For now, it’s all about Tudor.