Igor Tudor has been appointed as interim Tottenham manager until the end of the season following the sacking of Thomas Frank.
Tudor, the former Croatia and Juventus centre-back, had emerged as the leading candidate for the role after Spurs assessed a range of options, with the club opting for an experienced short-term solution.
Spurs have now confirmed the appointment, choosing to bring in Tudor before landing on a long-term successor to Frank after the end of the campaign. It’s understood there is no option to extend the deal past the summer.
“It is an honour to join this club at an important moment,” Tudor said, with the club currently sitting 16th in the Premier League and just five points above the relegation zone.
Igor Tudor has agreed to take charge of Tottenham until the end of the season as they battle to avoid relegation to the Championship (AFP/Getty)
“I understand the responsibility I have been handed and my focus is clear. To bring greater consistency to our performances and compete with conviction in every match.
“There is strong quality in this playing squad, and my job is to organise it, energise it and improve our results quickly.”
Sporting director Johan Lange added: “Igor brings clarity, intensity and experience of stepping into challenging moments and producing impact.
“Our objective is straightforward – to stabilise performances, maximise the quality within the squad and compete strongly in the Premier League and Champions League.”
Tottenham’s next game is not until 22 February but it comes against Premier League leaders and north London rivals Arsenal.
Frank was dismissed on Wednesday following the 2-1 defeat against Newcastle, after which fans once again aimed chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” towards their manager.
Tudor’s last role ended in the sack when Juventus dismissed the 47-year-old in October after just seven months in charge.
Despite the sour end in Turin, Tudor succeeded in his interim spell in charge of the Italian side as he led them to Champions League qualification after replacing the sacked Thiago Motta.
He was handed a two-year deal in the summer, but results dipped after the start of the next campaign and he was sacked amid an eight-game winless run where Juventus failed to score in four games.
Prior to Juventus, Tudor’s coaching career includes spells at Lazio, Marseille, Udinese, Hellas Verona, Hadjuk Split, Galatasaray, PAOK and Turkish side Kardemir Karabukspor.
Frank was sacked after just eight months in charge and following a run of just two wins in 17 Premier League games. Results were better in the Champions League, with Spurs qualifying for the last-16 in fourth place of the league phase.
