Paul Merson has insisted that Igor Tudor is only still Tottenham manager because no one wants to walk into a fixture against Liverpool.
Tudor is under immense pressure as interim boss, having lost all four games in charge and coming under criticism for his man-management of his players following his side’s 5-2 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid.
Having opted to start Antonin Kinsky in goal over Guglielmo Vicario, he swapped the two after just 15 minutes after Kinsky had made two errors. As the goalkeeper left the field and headed down the tunnel, Tudor ignored him as players rushed to show concern.
Despite the prediction of many, he remains in a job and will take charge of this weekend’s game against Liverpool, which could result in Spurs officially slipping into the bottom three.
But there’s only one reason why he will oversee that game, according to Merson: because no one else wants to.
‘I am and I’m not,’ Merson said on Sky Sports when asked if he was surprised that Tudor is still in charge. ‘I am because of the results and I’m not because it’s Liverpool away.
Paul Merson (pictured) has claimed Igor Tudor is only still in charge of Tottenham because they face Liverpool this weekend
Tudor (pictured) has overseen four games so far as Spurs interim boss, losing all of them
‘I don’t know what manager would want to come in for that game. There are timings – I think they will wait until this game is over and it gives them another week then before the big game.’
It was then put to Merson that any incoming manager could have seen Sunday’s game at Anfield – but the former Arsenal man rubbished that idea.
‘No,’ he replied bluntly. ‘Who did we see it with, Ange (Postecoglou)? At Forest? he took it at Arsenal, they got ripped to shreds and it was the start of going down. It’s not a free hit at all, you come in and get beat three or four and it’s, “what has he done?”.
‘I think they will wait and I’ll be shocked if he’s manager next week against Nottingham Forest.’
Tudor himself was quizzed on his position prior to the match against Liverpool, claiming he ‘laughs’ at the idea a different coach could do better.
That’s despite Spurs being in free-fall under his leadership with many questioning his man management following his actions – or lack of – during the Champions League humbling.
‘People think a new coach will come in and things will change and the problems will resolve,’ Tudor told Sky Sports on Friday. ‘It makes me laugh.
‘When people want a new coach, it’s a new hope. People always want new hope that things will change but the reality is totally different. The reality is not that.
‘In this world where everyone has an opinion, you can never win. But as coaches we have to focus on what we can change. We need to stay calm and believe in ourselves.’
