AliousIgor Tudor previously faced significant unrest during his time at Olympique de Marseille, where tensions reportedly escalated to the point that several players were removed from training sessions. Now, similar pressure is building at Tottenham Hotspur after another difficult result.
Spurs’ troubled season reached a new low on Thursday when they were beaten 3–1 at home by Crystal Palace F.C., leaving them dangerously close to the relegation zone in the Premier League. Tudor was appointed in February following the dismissal of Thomas Frank, but he has so far been unable to stabilise the situation in north London.
Turbulent spell in Marseille
Tudor’s previous job in France was also marked by friction within the squad. Shortly after he arrived at Marseille, reports suggested that some players were unhappy with the appointment and tensions began to surface during an intense pre-season.
The situation quickly escalated. Brazilian midfielder Gerson was reportedly involved in a heated argument with Tudor and was subsequently excluded from training.
Despite eventually guiding Marseille to third place in Ligue 1 during the 2022–23 campaign, Tudor left the club after just one year, citing exhaustion. His time at the Stade Vélodrome was often overshadowed by internal disputes.
Several players reportedly clashed with the Croatian coach. French full-back Jordan Amavi was removed from the first-team group after a disagreement, while Turkish winger Cengiz Ünder also had tensions with the manager.
Former Arsenal F.C. defender Nuno Tavares was reportedly asked to leave a training session, and Senegal striker Bamba Dieng was also removed under unclear circumstances.
Midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, another former Arsenal player, was involved in a particularly heated confrontation with Tudor during a pre-season friendly defeat against AC Milan. According to reports, the argument resulted in Guendouzi leaving the pitch early and not returning for the second half.
Tudor has always emphasised strict discipline. Explaining his approach at the time, he said that players must work hard and meet his physical demands, warning that repeated failure to do so would lead to intervention from the coaching staff.
Further instability behind the scenes
Tudor’s time in Marseille also saw unexpected staff changes. Former Italian international Mauro Camoranesi was appointed as his assistant but lasted only a week in the role despite initially being introduced to the squad as Tudor’s “right-hand man.”
After Tudor later left for S.S. Lazio — a spell that lasted just three months — Marseille president Pablo Longoria described the hostile environment the coach had faced.
Longoria suggested that opposition to Tudor had come from multiple directions within the club, including supporters who wanted former manager Jorge Sampaoli to return.
Tudor signals firm stance at Spurs
Following Tottenham’s defeat to Palace, Tudor hinted that he may adopt a similarly strict approach if players fail to meet his expectations.
Despite the loss, he insisted he had seen encouraging signs from the team but stressed that only players committed to his vision would remain part of the project.
Tudor suggested that those unwilling to follow the direction he wants the team to take could find themselves left behind.
Tottenham’s schedule offers little relief. Next week they travel to face Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 tie before a difficult league clash against Liverpool F.C..
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