Spurs could hire Tudor upgrade who’s “similar to Klopp”

Tottenham Hotspur are in real bother. After only three matches, Igor Tudor’s position as the interim manager is already under threat.

A heavy defeat to Arsenal during his maiden match was just about acceptable, if not bearable, but subsequent losses against Fulham and Crystal Palace have thrown the north Londoners in genuine relegation bother in the Premier League.

Time is running out, and with West Ham United and Nottingham Forest both picking up points and lingering just one point behind Spurs at the edge of the drop zone, the board may need to take drastic measures.

Tottenham have lost their last five Premier League fixtures and travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool next weekend. If Tudor was an erroneous appointment, this is the time to make a change.

The latest on Tudor’s Spurs future

Tudor, 47, has something of a short shelf life as a manager, an average of just 0.67 years across his 11 managerial appointments. Given that he has only been appointed at the start of a season four times, his fix-it reputation is more understandable.

But it’s not working out at Tottenham, whose situation continues to devolve and whose imperilled position only deepens. Indeed, The Telegraph have even reported that the Londoners are already looking to make a new appointment.

Ferencvaros manager Robbie Keane has been earmarked as a candidate, but the Irish legend is inexperienced and would be a risk, even with a deep connection with the Lilywhites after years of prolific service.

Instead, Tottenham could appoint a seasoned manager with more managerial merit than someone like Keane while still capturing a youthful, progressive essence.

That man could be Edin Terzic, who has been out of work since leaving Borussia Dortmund in 2024. Only last month, the German was linked with a move to N17, before the powers that be instead opted to appoint Tudor.

Terzic might not be as experienced as other candidates, he did fantastic work at Dortmund and, moreover, has Premier League experience, once serving under Slaven Bilic at West Ham United.

Why Terzic could be perfect for Spurs

Terzic, 43, ended his professional career in 2013 and became a scout and then an assistant coach for the Yellow Wall, ultimately taking the senior job after impressing on an interim basis in 2020/21.

Obviously, saving top-flight status should be the first port of call for the powers that be as they make their next move, but Tottenham could thrive with such a manager, who is front-footed and entertaining. In fact, he has even been described by former pro David James as being “similar to Jurgen Klopp” for his intense, gegenpressing tactical approach.

Moreover, he is a talented motivator and managed to create a state of harmony at Dortmund over his three-year reign, leading the Germans to the Champions League final in 2023/24, losing to Real Madrid.

However, Klopp also lost his first few Champions League finals, and he bounced back with Liverpool to become one of the club’s most decorated managers. Could Terzic take on such a role at Tottenham?

He’s already got pedigree, and that mix of coaching skills and interpersonal management could prove the key to success in unlocking this rusty Spurs side, making him a better fit than Keane, who is yet to manage within one of Europe’s top-five leagues.

Typically playing a conventional 4-2-3-1 formation, the 43-year-old would also bring a semblance of normality back to N17, with Tudor’s three-man backline failing to impress thus far.

The gruff Italian is somewhat pragmatic, and given that it’s already clear that he’s up against the wall, perhaps sacking him and replacing him with Terzic could prove the masterstroke (or, at least, a stroke of good fortune) that Lange and co are searching for.

Former Dortmund star Gio Reyna once praised the German’s “high-intensity” methods, and by implementing those strategies in north London, he would surely win over the fanbase from the get-go.

Tottenham may opt for Keane, should they decide to sack Tudor this month, but that would be quite the gamble, whereas they could still land the perfect profile in Terzic.

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