While Igor Tudor has refrained from uttering the ‘R word’ to his Tottenham squad, he asserts that aesthetic play will be forfeited in the quest for victories within what he now terms a “do-or-die” struggle to retain their position in the Premier League.
Tudor’s inaugural match at the helm, succeeding Thomas Frank, proved to be a chastening 4-1 loss on their home turf against North London adversaries Arsenal – an outcome that positioned Spurs merely four points clear of the relegation zone.
Dropping from the Premier League would unleash a devastating impact on Spurs from a monetary standpoint, yet Tudor remains unwavering that he has not even contemplated such a scenario at this juncture.
When queried about discussing the prospect of demotion with his squad, he responded: “No, never, yet not because it’s something to be apprehensive about. It’s a perilous term. We must concentrate on our own efforts, to be attentive to our practice sessions. That’s the sole aspect we can alter.
“Therefore, it’s futile to dwell on what lies ahead or the scoreline. The points materialize from our practice and the matches. So that’s where our attention lies, that’s the sole area of concentration required.”
Aesthetics are subordinate for Spurs manager Tudor
Tudor, serving as interim manager until the campaign’s conclusion, is prepared to set aside notions of aesthetically pleasing play and prioritize victories, with Spurs bogged down by a streak of a solitary league win since the beginning of December.
“One must be astute enough to grasp the current circumstances and the method for securing results, even disregarding the manner of play,” he added. “Consequently, the playstyle must be a secondary consideration, simply because now it’s a matter of ultimate consequence, if I may put it that way, in a sporting sense.
“How are we going to obtain these results, you know, by any means necessary?”
Spurs are set to confront another London rival over the coming weekend as they journey to Fulham on Sunday.
The Cottagers ascended into the upper echelons of the league table after their victory last week at Sunderland, and Tudor admires Marco Silva and his squad.
“An excellent squad with a manager with considerable tenure, making them a clearly identifiable outfit in their approach,” stated the ex-Juventus manager. “A formidable side, consistently challenging to overcome, so it will be arduous. But, as I stated earlier, we must be concentrated on ourselves, our required actions, because we need to improve our displays.”
The Tottenham role is more arduous than I envisioned – Tudor
Tudor has been in this position for under two weeks but already acknowledges it is more challenging than he had foreseen.
“Likely so. I concur,” he stated. “Exceedingly difficult, but it aligns with my previous statement; my viewpoint remains unaltered. Hence, consistent effort, concentration on all necessary tasks – bodily state, psychological state, execution, and awaiting the return of [sidelined] players.
“Consequently, we must be concentrated on ourselves, our capabilities, minimizing thoughts concerning adversaries, and things should improve.”
Tottenham possess an extensive roster of sidelined players, but two of the recovering players – Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso – are set to return over the upcoming weekend.