Igor Tudor has explained why he made the decision to start Antonin Kinsky after the Tottenham goalkeeper’s tragic performance against Atletico Madrid.
Tottenham Hotspur have been rotten this season and Tuesday night was another low point for this once great club.
Atletico Madrid already held a 3-0 lead inside 15 minutes and Kinsky was the player at fault for two of those goals.
The Czechian slipped for Atletico’s opening score and made a complete mess of his clearance to give the Spanish team their third of the night.
Kinsky’s only point of consolation is that the hosts’ second goal was Micky van de Ven’s failure, but it is the 22-year-old whose name will dominate the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Igor Tudor defends decision to play Antonin Kinsky for Tottenham
Igor Tudor is the man responsible for fielding Kinsky and he has claimed it was the right decision to try something different and give him a rare start.
The Spurs interim coach has also revealed the conversation he had with his goalkeeper following the match, after he appeared to snub him on the touchline.
Tudor told TNT Sports, as relayed by BBC Sport and Alasdair Gold: “It happens very rarely, I have been coaching 15 years and I never do this. It was necessary to do this, preserve the guy and the team. Incredible situation.
“Before the game it was right choice, in the moment we are in, pressure on Vicario. Tony [Kinsky] is a good goalkeeper. It was the right decision. After this, it is easy to say it’s not the right decision.
“I spoke to Tony afterwards – I said he is the right guy, a good goalkeeper, but unfortunately this happens in this big game, big mistakes. After that start to the game it was too much for us in this moment when we are fragile, weak.”
Tudor added: “He was sorry. He made an excuse for the team. The team is with him. Me too. I was speaking with him. He understands the moment. He understands why he came out.”
Igor Tudor has a decision to make ahead of Tottenham’s next match
Guglielmo Vicario is obviously going to start against Liverpool, but Kinsky might not be guaranteed a spot on the bench after his poor showing.
Everyone makes mistakes, but Kinsky’s cameo against Atletico will be very difficult to bounce back from and Tudor could look at his other options.
Brandon Austin has not been given a look-in this season, but maybe it is time to see what the 27-year-old can do. After all, he did have some good games when he was required to step in last season.
Should Vicario pick up an injury before the season ends, Tudor needs someone he can trust and unfortunately, Kinsky has blown his big opportunity.
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