Igor Tudor's Rescue Mission Resume: From Croatian Cup Glory to Trophy Cabinet Success

Tottenham's appointment of Igor Tudor represents a calculated gamble on a manager whose CV reads like a collection of emergency room admissions. The Croatian arrives as interim cover for Thomas Frank with the understanding that Mauricio Pochettino may become available come summer—a timeline that conveniently absolves the club of long-term strategic responsibility.

It's darkly amusing that Spurs ignored Fabio Paratici's Tudor recommendation when he was actually employed there, only to come calling once he'd departed. Such is the institutional coherence one expects from a club that seems constitutionally incapable of joined-up thinking. Still, when the alternative being seriously discussed is Tim Sherwood, you know the bar has dropped considerably.

What Tudor does possess is a documented ability to parachute into collapsing outfits mid-season and produce immediate results. Whether that translates to steering a side five points adrift of the drop zone through 12 remaining fixtures whilst preparing for a derby against the country's finest remains to be seen. But his CV suggests he's handled comparable chaos before.

Hajduk Split – April 2013

Tudor's first rescue act came after Hajduk's hierarchy lost its nerve following a home defeat to Rijeka, dispensing with manager Miso Krsticevic, sporting director Sergije Kresic and consultant Fredi Fiorentski in one fell swoop. President Marin Babic cited jeopardised European qualification as the catalyst.

Tudor managed just two wins in six games but secured the vital qualification on goal difference. His real calling card arrived in the Croatian Cup, where a thrilling 5-4 aggregate victory over Lokomotiva delivered silverware. Replicating that in the Champions League would certainly be something.

Galatasaray – February 2017

His Turkish assignment proved considerably less decorated. Jan Olde Riekerink departed with Galatasaray third but five points behind Besiktas, whilst simultaneously facing a European ban for financial irregularities and already eliminated from the cup.

Tudor couldn't bridge the gap and watched his side slip further to fourth, though they did cling to European qualification. A particularly grim 4-0 April thrashing to Istanbul Basaksehir featured Emmanuel Adebayor—yes, that Adebayor—scoring a hat-trick. The following season began with Europa League qualifying elimination to Graham Potter's Ostersund. Rough times.

Udinese – April 2018

"Important work to be done," Tudor declared upon arriving at a Udinese side buried in an 11-game losing streak following the departures of Luigi Delneri and Massimo Oddo. His immediate impact was modest: a 3-3 draw with Benevento followed by a 4-0 drubbing from Inter.

However, consecutive wins over Verona and Bologna ultimately dragged Udinese clear of relegation danger—had those results gone differently, the club would have dropped by a single point. Tudor and Udinese couldn't agree on extending beyond the campaign, so he departed.

Udinese – March 2019

Within months, he was back. His summer replacement Julio Velazquez lasted until November; Davide Nicola managed a few months more. Tudor became Udinese's third managerial appointment of yet another season, arriving to find the club 16th and just a point above the drop zone after winning three of fourteen games.

This time the turnaround proved more convincing. Wins in crucial fixtures against Genoa, Empoli, Frosinone, SPAL and Cagliari, plus a goalless home stalemate with Inter, secured mid-table safety. Sandro—another Spurs connection, naturally—anchored his midfield during this period. The narrative writes itself.

Hajduk Split – January 2020

Tudor never subscribed to the notion that returning to old clubs invites disaster. His second Hajduk spell proved the exception to his rescue-job success story. With European competition already stripped away before his arrival, he presided over a collapse from distant second to near-disastrous fifth, losing as frequently as winning. One of his rare interim failures.

Lazio – March 2024

After his longest spell—48 games—ended at Marseille, Tudor spent nearly a year sidelined before Lazio came calling. Replacing Maurizio Sarri on an 18-month deal, he guided the club from ninth to European qualification, winning more than half his games whilst defeating Juventus twice and reaching the Coppa Italia semi-finals before narrowly exiting.

Then he quit after less than three months, citing 'tiredness' with the project. Spurs supporters should perhaps brace themselves for a similarly abrupt departure.

Juventus – March 2025

Another extended sabbatical preceded his Juventus appointment, arriving after Thiago Motta's sacking with the Old Lady in fifth and elimination from every competition. Tudor's singular focus on Champions League qualification proved sufficient, dragging Juventus over the line with relative comfort.

Everything beyond that objective went catastrophically wrong. Eight winless games led to his October sacking. Spurs will worry about what comes next only if they know whether Premier League survival or Championship football awaits.

Tudor has engineered enough new-manager bounces to suggest Tottenham should survive. Whether he'll still be employed by then is another matter entirely.