Interim Tottenham manager Igor Tudor has backed his squad to secure Premier League survival, praising their reaction to his extraordinary rant after Sunday's 2-1 loss at Fulham. The Croatian, who criticised his team's performance across all areas following the defeat, now claims to be impressed by their response in training.
Speaking ahead of Thursday's crucial home fixture against Crystal Palace, Tudor defended his strong post-match comments. 'Of course after the game, there are emotions, there are disappointments because you work, you want to win, and the players also work hard and want to win, but the result didn't come,' he said. 'You need to be angry and disappointed. You don't need to be the guy who comes there and says everything is perfect.'
Tudor acknowledged the intense pressure facing his team, who are without a league win in 10 matches. 'Everyone understands the situation, but we are working hard to change this,' he said. 'My job is to put the pressure away, but their job is also to accept this pressure as part of the job.' He drew a comparison to other professions, noting that doctors dealing with life and death face real pressure, while sport is different.
The interim boss confirmed that Tottenham will still be without 10 players for the Palace match, though Djed Spence could return for next Tuesday's Champions League last 16 first leg against Atletico Madrid. Tudor hinted that 19-year-old January recruit Souza might make his full debut at left-back.
Dismissing the notion of a must-win game, Tudor said: 'No, there is no must-win game, all the games need to be won.' He highlighted the importance of the last 15-20 minutes, describing it as 'a game within a game' where substitutes can be decisive. 'I hope we have and I am sure because I saw in training that we have these men to step up and take responsibility,' he added.
