Igor Tudor unable to defend position at Tottenham amid Antonin Kinsky criticism and record-breaking successive defeat

Igor Tudor was unable to say whether he deserved to continue at Tottenham after becoming the first Spurs head coach to lose each of his first four games in charge.

Tudor endured his most disastrous game yet as Spurs boss – and there is already plenty of competition despite his short 24-day tenure – as Atletico Madrid thrashed his side 5-2 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

His questionable decision to drop experienced goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and hand 22-year-old Antonin Kinsky a first Champions League start backfired spectacularly, forced to U-turn after just 17 minutes when Kinsky’s mistakes led to two of Atletico’s three early goals.

Kinsky looked inconsolable when he was replaced by Vicario, who conceded just five minutes after coming on – Robin Le Normand scoring Atletico’s fourth – at which time it became inevitable that Spurs would fall to a sixth consecutive defeat for the first time in the club’s 143-year history.

And Tudor’s assignments do not get easier from here. Spurs travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, before having to endure the second leg of a European tie that is surely, somewhat embarrassingly, already over three days later.

Asked after the game if he deserves to carry on at Spurs, Tudor said: “No comment.”

Explaining his decision to take off Kinsky, who received no acknowledgment from Tudor when substituted off, the Spurs boss said: “It is very rare. I have coached 15 years and never done this. It was necessary to preserve the guy and to preserve the team.

“The start of the game was too much for us in this moment when we are fragile, when we are weak.

“Kinsky was sorry. The team is with him. Me too. I was speaking with him. He understands the moment, he understands why he went out. He is a very good goalkeeper. It is never about one player.”

Commenting on what needs to happen ahead of facing Liverpool this weekend, he added: “I try to do my best. What a coach needs to do.”

‘Players looked worried for Kinsky’s welfare, the ultimate humiliation’

Sky Sports News’ Michael Bridge in Madrid:

“You think you’ve seen it all but they’ll have to be discussing his [Tudor’s] future. It’s very, very toxic. Some players will be unhappy with what happened during the game with Kinsky going off.

“I saw Joao Palhinha and Conor Gallagher running to console Kinsky – these are players that are worried about Kinsky’s welfare. Igor Tudor didn’t acknowledge Kinsky when he came off. It was the ultimate humiliation. There was a powerful tweet from David de Gea about it and I’m sure the players will be speaking to officials at Spurs.

“There has also been footage of Cristian Romero almost telling Tudor to take Kinsky off. I asked Tudor that and he denied it but if you look at the footage you do wonder if Romero did ask him to take him off.

“It’s such a damaging defeat in so many ways. Tudor’s future will come into question now. There has been no manager bounce and Spurs actually look worse. And it could get even worse before it gets better. Tudor was brought in to put fires out straightaway but more fires have been created.”

Supporters Trust call for ’emergency action’ following defeat

Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust called for “emergency action” with interim head coach Igor Tudor on the brink after a chaotic 5-2 loss at Atletico Madrid.

More records tumbled for Spurs on an extraordinary night where back-up goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky had to be withdrawn after 17 minutes due to two terrible errors.

Defeat made Tudor the first Tottenham boss to lose his first four games in charge. A shambolic 5-2 loss in the first leg of this last-16 tie also meant Spurs have lost six games in a row for the first time in their history.

Tudor has only been in charge for 25 days, but refused to answer questions about his future and Tottenham have been urged to act.

“Tonight’s performance and result is a total disgrace. It’s symptomatic of the abysmal state of things at Spurs right now,” a statement from THST read.

“From the January transfer window to the management appointments, the lack of leadership and the total absence of anyone with a Spurs pedigree informing these decisions. Where is the Daring to Do? Where are the Echoes of Glory?

“Emergency action is needed as right now we are sleepwalking off the edge of a cliff. Being a Spurs fan has never been so difficult but supporters will not sit by and watch the club continue to decline.

“At the very least those in Madrid should have their match tickets refunded. But all we really care about is that the club make us proud. We are here to support the team and be the 12th man. But we all deserve so much more.”

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