Igor Tudor has wasted no time addressing his new Tottenham Hotspur squad, delivering a clear and direct message as he begins work in north London.
The Tottenham Hotspur first-team players were handed a five-day break following the sacking of former boss Thomas Frank.
However, they have now returned to first-team training ahead of this weekend’s clash with north London rivals Arsenal.
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Tottenham have since completed the appointment of former Juventus manager Igor Tudor, who is set to take charge of the game this weekend.
Tottenham boss Igor Tudor reveals first message to players
Tudor has now met with the Tottenham squad as he aims to bring some stability to north London.
Speaking to the club’s official channels, the Croatian revealed the message he delivered to his players on his first day of training, outlining the scale of the challenge, the need for unity, and the demand for immediate improvement.
Addressing the honour of taking the role and the responsibility that comes with it, Tudor explained how his focus is firmly on the work ahead rather than himself.
“Big challenge for me, a big honour to be here. I am very happy. In the same way, I do not think too much about myself, because I am focused on work to do.
“So wherever you go, it is always about your relationship with the players, with the team, with the town. There are a lot of similarities. Even if this is like the NBA of European football, this is the best of the best. So, it is a real privilege to be here.”
He then moved on to the immediate priorities – stressing confidence, courage and accountability – while acknowledging the severity of the club’s current position.
“The first priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments. The team needs, I believe, first of all, to get some confidence, to get some courage, but also in the same way, the concrete things on the pitch. Of course, I am coming here knowing the situation is not easy. There is no time to find excuses.
“What I said from the first day here, each of us, each of the players, need to give something, something more, something extra because the position of the club in this moment is not one that anybody can accept. Every fan of Tottenham cannot accept the situation, we are aware of that, but it is not enough to just be aware of that.”
Spurs relegation pressure heightens Igor Tudor challenge
Of course, there is no time to get used to each other for either the boss or the players, with the season now deep into its decisive stretch.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 14 |  BrightonBrighton | 26 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 31 |
| 15 |  LeedsLeeds | 26 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 36 | 45 | -9 | 30 |
| 16 | TottenhamTottenham | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 36 | 37 | -1 | 29 |
| 17 |  Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 25 | 38 | -13 | 27 |
| 18 |  West HamWest Ham | 26 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 32 | 49 | -17 | 24 |
Spurs are in a relegation scrap, with just five points separating them from 18th-placed West Ham United, making it vital that they begin to pick up points.
The task at hand for Tudor is very difficult, especially with his first game coming against table-toppers Arsenal, but that could well present the perfect opportunity to rally his squad.