Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has ripped into the club’s decision to appoint Igor Tudor as interim head coach.
Tottenham turned to Tudor to steady a season that has drifted badly, of course, following the departure of the massively underwhelming Thomas Frank.
There was plenty of optimism surrounding his arrival, given his record as interim manager at previous clubs, but the Croatian was handed a reality check over the weekend.
He suffered a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal in the North London derby, giving him a clear idea of the club’s current predicament and the size of the task he agreed to.
That result has left many wondering whether Tudor was the right fit for the job, and Redknapp is among those who are unsure about the manager’s credentials.
The 78-year-old has admitted that he would have jumped at the chance to take the interim job until the end of the season if he had been asked.
He then insisted that Tudor’s lack of Premier League experience makes him a huge gamble for the club.
When asked if he would have taken the Spurs job, Redknapp told Sky Sports: “For sure, I would have. Yeah, I would have definitely had a go.
“A lot of the ex-players coming out and saying they should have got me back here (to Tottenham).
“Even Ray Parlour said ‘they should have got Harry back in’. I would have loved it. I would loved to have gone in here and given it a go.
“They have brought somebody in, but nobody knew him. He (Tudor) has had lots of jobs and been around the block a bit, but never managed in England.
“Tudor is a big gamble, but you cannot blame him for yesterday (against Arsenal). That’s how the results have been for months, haven’t they? Shocking.”
Redknapp’s claim is as ridiculous as his own Tottenham comeback dream
Redknapp’s criticism of Tudor sounds more like nostalgia talking than anything else.
It is easy to question Tottenham’s decision after the North London derby defeat, but dismissing Tudor as a “big gamble” shows his criticism was hardly constructive.
Admitting that he would have taken the job makes his entire take even more ridiculous. Redknapp has been out of management since leaving Birmingham City in 2017.
In fact, he hasn’t managed at the top level since leaving Tottenham in 2012, so the idea that he would have been a safer interim appointment is laughable.
Meanwhile, Tudor has built a reputation across Europe as a mid-season firefighter. He is known for stabilising sinking ships, and his profile fits Tottenham’s current predicament.
Whether Tudor can rescue the club from relegation remains to be seen. But he’s a much more logical appointment than any nostalgic reunion with Redknapp.