Chris Sutton was not too impressed by what Igor Tudor said after watching Tottenham deliver a fighting performance against Liverpool and emerge with a point from Merseyside.
Spurs have a poor record at Anfield historically, and even very good Tottenham teams have struggled to get something off Liverpool in their own stadium.
Yet, a Tottenham side ravaged by injuries, short of confidence and sitting on the brink of the relegation zone, delivered a performance full of desire and energy, with a late Richarlison equaliser ensuring that they moved one point ahead of West Ham.
It was the sort of performance and result that Spurs desperately needed to restore hope among the players and supporters that they could get out of trouble.
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Chris Sutton accuses Igor Tudor of changing his tune about the Tottenham squad
Tudor had been uncompromising in his assessment of the Tottenham squad over the last few weeks, but the Croat changed his tune after watching his players on Sunday.
The Spurs interim head coach identified that team spirit was the key to his side’s result, and that is something Sutton took issue with, given what the Croat has said about his players in the past.
Reacting to Tudor’s comments about team spirit, Sutton said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “Igor Tudor has more faces than Big Ben.
“This is the guy who absolutely filleted the players and told them they’re all useless. Now he is talking about ‘team spirit’.”
Why the Spurs players do not need to play for Tudor
There has been a lot of debate over whether the Tottenham squad are playing for Tudor, but that question is almost irrelevant at this stage of the season.
Tudor is not likely to stay at Spurs beyond the summer, and it does not matter what the players think of his credentials or ability as a coach.
The Tottenham players are playing for their own careers and their legacy at the club, as they will not want to be the group that took the Lilywhites down after nearly 50 years.
Comments about Tudor being two-faced seem a little unfair. Although you can criticise is rather abrasive style at times, you can’t say he hasn’t been anything but brutally honest to the press and players.