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Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart led the criticism of Tottenham boss Igor Tudor after he blanked Antonin Kinsky having substituted him just 15 minutes into his nightmare Champions League debut.
Tudor recalled Kinsky for his first game since October – and Champions League debut – but his two horrendous early mistakes helped Atletico go 3-0 up in 15 minutes.
Tudor called Guglielmo Vicario from the bench and, after the defeat, explained: ‘I am coaching for 15 years and never have done this, but it was necessary to preserve the guy and preserve the team. It was an incredible situation.
‘Before the game it was the right choice, with pressure on Vicario and Toni a very good goalkeeper. After this happened, of course, it is easy to say it is not the right decision.
‘Toni was sorry, he made an excuse for the team. He is a bright guy and a good goalkeeper. The team is with him. Me too. He understands.
‘Unfortunately, it happened big mistakes in a big game. It was too much for us in this moment when we are fragile, we are weak.’
Antonin Kinsky (left) was substituted ‘to preserve the team’, according to Spurs’ Igor Tudor
Tudor (pictured) made the decision to take Kinsky off the field after 17 minutes of his Champions League debut following two errors
Hart, however, wasn’t happy with how Tudor handled the situation. The Spurs interim boss, who has now lost all four of his games in charge, conceding 14 goals, blanked the Czech as he made his way down the tunnel.
A number of Spurs players, including the likes of Palhinha and Conor Gallagher, raced to console him after a nightmare Champions League debut as Tudor ignored his man. Atletico fans also applauded him off out of sympathy and, when substituted, Djed Spence made a point of shaking Tudor’s hand, seemingly to ensure he too wasn’t blanked.
Hart said on TNT Sports: ‘To get to this level, signed by Spurs, one mistake does not alter you. That is a technical error, but what proceeds that… was it the right decision? Maybe it was. But what I saw after…
‘I hate being reactive because I like to know all the facts. But the fact he has taken him off in that situation having played him… he is young, 22, he is not a man, he has done nothing to try and hurt spurs. A couple of bad moments, but to rip him off in this situation and not even acknowledge the guy? Every single one of Tottenham’s players who are feeling the pain don’t know what to do. How is that good for him?’
He added: ‘It is a thing with ‘keepers, you have got to accept you will have nights like that. Everyone has them. Buffon, Neuer, Schmeichel. They have had moments, but everything that has gone on on top of it, he will feel so unwelcomed as far as the management is involved.
‘You have to be treated like a human, just a little bit. I understand the situation. This needs getting a serious grip of. Madness happens all the time in football. That was mad, maybe he didn’t handle it how he should have.
‘I saw the whole bench’s hearts drop. They are saying, don’t worry we are here for you. It’s the human side of things. If you aren’t willing to show it, that’s when it starts to divide.’
Former midfielder Steve McManaman, meanwhile, added: ‘He is 22, been at Spurs for a year, getting paid Champions League wages. We all understand what happened and the mistakes, but it wasn’t about that, it was about being a figure to say, don’t worry about it, it was a small thing the manager needed to do.
Joe Hart led the criticism of the Spurs boss, who opted not to approach the player as he made his way down the tunnel
‘I have no issue with the sub, but go over and say, don’t worry. It takes five seconds. Then move forward. The optics look terrible, you aren’t doing anything to help that kid’s career at all.’
It was a shambolic opening by Spurs with several players losing their footing for the first, and a slip in defence by Micky van de Ven gifted the hosts their second.
Kinsky had slipped while passing for the first goal and completely miskicked the ball to give away the third. With Atletico 3-0 up early doors, goalscorers Marcos Llorente, Antoien Griezmann, and Julian Alvarez could hardly believe their luck.
McManaman also gave a scathing assessment at half-time, saying: ‘That’s man-management at its very, very worst. Three or four of the players try and hug him.
‘That poor goalkeeper has had a terrible night after being chosen by his own manager, and for his manager to not even acknowledge him, to not go over and say, “sorry, don’t worry about it”, put his arm round him, do something to affect the situation, that is cold as cold can be.’
Tudor, who has the task of ending a six-game losing run at Anfield against Liverpool, this weekned, was not keen to engage with post-match questions about his future.
‘It is not a topic for me,’ he said. ‘It is not about my job, it is about how to help the team. It will be always be about that.’ Asked if he thought he deserved to continue, he replied: ‘No comment.’
As for whether the task ahead was impossible, he said: ‘I am not taking it that way. I recognise what we are and which problems we have. I recognise that every game, something happens.
Tudor was also coy on his own future, showing little willingness to speak on it after the loss
‘Sometimes it is very difficult to explain. These things, when they happen in the moment where we are now, unfortunately, it is like that. Even these slippery things happen, it explains the moment, because they didn’t do it. The pitch was the same for both teams.’
Spurs go to Liverpool on Sunday with doubts surrounding Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha who were forced off in stoppage time after a sickening clash of heads. Micky van de Ven cannot play at Anfield, ruled out by suspension after a red card against Crystal Palace.
‘Also, an example of the moment,’ said Tudor. ‘It is incredible. It is incredible. We finished the game and we see the two players and there is Micky, who is out with a red card. Sometimes it is difficult to explain. It looks like everything is against us. Incredible things.’
