Igor Tudor has begun outlining his footballing vision at Tottenham Hotspur, offering supporters an early glimpse into how his side could look on the pitch.
Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping that new interim boss Igor Tudor can bring about some stability to the club as they look to push on in the final stretch of the season.
The Croatian comes into the club after being sacked from Juventus following a 24-game run, but has a record of improving results in the early moments at clubs he has managed.
Tudor is known for deploying a 3-4-2-1 system in the past, which is something we could see again in North London. However, that doesn’t mean defensive football, according to the man himself.
Tottenham boss Igor Tudor outlines tactical style plans
No doubt, Spurs fans are eager to know what to expect from the 47-year-old, whose first game comes this weekend against Arsenal.
Tottenham fans have struggled to get behind their team in the past months due to the lack of a front-footed approach from Thomas Frank.
Getting a win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against their rivals will be a good start for Tudor, and he has now revealed to supporters the type of football he would love to implement in north London.
Speaking to the club’s official channels, he outlined his attacking intentions, the need for structure, and the importance of adapting to player availability.
He said: “I like to be positive. I like to play offensive football. That is my first goal. I like to score goals, but in the same way, for sure, you need to give organisation in defence, give the clear structure of what you want to play.
“The situation is not easy because, as you know better than me, we have a lot of injured players, so, we need first to find the best system that suits the players that are available at this moment. So, a very particular moment.
“Maybe this can sound strange, but I believe that the thing that we need to be focused on is the training. So, the training from today, that is the key, because, as I always like to say, Sunday and the game is a consequence of the training. So, that needs to be focused.
“The coach needs to show the path; where is the way we want to go, how we want to go, and the players need to accept this and together we, in this way, preparing during the week is the best thing for Sunday.
“Yeah, I know some players. I have also been coaching with Dejan and Rodrigo. Unfortunately, they are not now available to play immediately, but they are here in the Tottenham dressing room for sure. But I find all players are available to react.
“I believe in style – style is more important than the system, of course. As I said, it is a very particular moment. So, every club has its particularity. Can I say this word? That is first as a culture of the club, which kind of football they like. So, it is always important to think about that, but in the same way, not to forget who I am, what I want the team to achieve, but thinking, ‘this player can do this’.
“So, I need to be with my staff, very intelligent, to find the best possible way to get out in a very short time.”
Spurs fitness demands key to Igor Tudor approach
Tudor then expanded on the physical and tactical demands he expects from his Tottenham side, stressing the balance between athletic output and technical quality.
The new Tottenham coach added: “I believe that in football, in 2026, it has changed a lot. It is changing year by year – more physical… players… let us say, it is crucial. If you can run 115 kilometres as a team, it is better than 105. It does not mean that you have one player extra, so there is nothing strange to choose that direction, of course.
“It is always about motivated players that understand this thing about running, about the physical aspect of football which is sometimes not easy, but that without quality – you can do nothing. So, technical skills, intelligence to see, to recognise the situations on the pitch is always above everything.
“So, you need to find a mix about both things and about winning or drawing, the truth is I never saw the coach who said that he can play for a draw. It is not possible.
“Offensive football, yes, but smart. So, that is the key.”