Igor Tudor has been appointed Tottenham's head coach until the end of the season, stepping in after Thomas Frank's dismissal. The Croatian tactician's debut will be in the North London derby, overshadowed by severe squad shortages. Tottenham will be without 12 players: captain Cristian Romero is suspended, while Richarlison, Mohammed Kudus, Kevin Danso, Destiny Udogie, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pedro Porro, Ben Davies, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Wilson Odobert, and Lucas Bergvall are all sidelined with injuries.

Coach Igor Tudor during Tottenham's training on 18/2. *Photo: Shutterstock*

At a pre-match press conference on 20/2, Tudor stated, "This is a rare situation, with many players absent, some with serious injuries. We only have 13 players training. It is not ideal, but it presents a greater challenge to overcome."

Despite the squad limitations, the Croatian coach believes the 13 available players are sufficient for the "Spurs" to achieve their objectives in the derby. "Everyone understands the importance of this match. This is the North London derby. Everyone expects three points, and we are well aware of that," he affirmed.

Tottenham has not secured a win in eight consecutive Premier League matches and has only won two of their last 17 rounds. This poor run has seen them drop to 16th position, just five points clear of the relegation zone. Despite domestic struggles, the North London club advanced to the Champions League round of 16 by finishing 4th in their group.

Tudor acknowledged that the primary priority is ensuring the team's safety in the league, rather than focusing on other objectives like improving their standings, especially with Tottenham only five points above the relegation zone. He also did not commit to immediately re-establishing the club's traditional attacking style.

The 47-year-old coach explained, "When you have a 50-day preseason period with a full 20 players, then you can discuss style or philosophy. This, however, is an emergency. You must quickly determine what works best with the 13 players currently available. The circumstances are entirely different."

Coach Igor Tudor at the pre-match press conference before Tottenham faces Arsenal in Premier League round 27. *Photo: Shutterstock*

Demonstrating his full commitment to the new role, Tudor added, "I did not come here to tour the city. I came to work during a very difficult period for the club. We work every day, living and breathing it 24/7. Even when dining out or visiting a museum, you are still thinking about how to improve the team's performance. This is a very special profession."

When questioned about Tottenham's involvement in a relegation battle, Tudor stated that a point difference of 10, five, or two points does not alter the club's approach. "We must focus on becoming a better team. That is the only path forward."

Asked if Tottenham would certainly remain in the Premier League next season, Tudor responded concisely: "100%."

Hong Duy (according to ESPN, The Guardian)