Igor Tudor’s main job is to secure Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League status as he prepares for his second game in charge of the club.
His first game ended in a sobering 4-1 defeat to Arsenal in a game that saw Spurs’ frailties laid bare in front of their own fans.
Tudor claimed his Tottenham player had too many ‘bad habits’ on the pitch, which was apparent against Arsenal as they were all over the place defensively and didn’t offer too much going forward.
However, he has a track record of saving teams from relegation, having done so with Udinese and Hellas Verona in Serie A.
And now, Former Udinese player Bram Nuytinck has given an insight into what it feels like to work with the mercurial Croatian.
Tudor a tough character to work with
During his first stint with Udinese, Tudor took over the reigns with four games to go in Serie A and saved the club from relegation against all odds.
Nuytinck, who is a central defender by trade, was part of the squad then, so he has a firsthand opinion of working with the former Juventus boss.
The Dutch international claims Tudor was really harsh with his players, adding that he never really got along with him.
“Even in Udine, I had a difficult time,” said Nuytinck to Gianluca di Marzio.
“With Tudor, who coached us twice, we never really clicked. The first time, in 2018, he shouted a lot; he was harsh.
“I remember an argument with Seko Fofana in training. He sent him off the pitch.”
Read More: Micky van de Ven pinpoints what Tottenham can do better under Igor Tudor after 4-1 Arsenal defeat
That said, Nuytinck added that tough love was exactly what Udinese needed at the time as they successfully avoided the drop thanks to a ‘shock’ from their manager.
He continued: “The team needed a shock. He came on with four games to go and we were in difficulty. At the time, I didn’t understand it, but over time I’ve come to terms with it.
“In the end, we saved ourselves; he left and came back the following year, in similar circumstances. Same script: tough approach and safety.”
Tottenham are currently 16th in the table, just four points above the relegation zone.
With Nottingham Forest looking better under Vitor Fereira and West Ham United showing signs of life in recent weeks, they need to put points on the board immediately to give themselves some breathing space.
Tottenham need Tudor’s no-nonsense approach
To put it bluntly, a large part of the Tottenham squad needs a kick up their backsides as they’ve been far too lax and underwhelming this season.
Tudor seems like someone who doesn’t take any prisoners, which bodes well for the club as they need a no-nonsense character who can get them points on the board in the short-term.
Cameras caught Micky van de Ven ignoring his manager’s instructions from the touchline during the game against Arsenal.
Whether that was actually the case or not remains unclear, as these instances can often be misinterpreted.
However, if that’s what transpired, don’t be surprised if the Dutchman was on the wrong end of some harsh words from the boss after the game.
