Every word new Tottenham boss Igor Tudor said including why his first training session was so short

Here's every word Igor Tudor said in his first interview since being named as the interim head coach of Tottenham Hotspur

Igor Tudor has explained what he wants to bring to Tottenham Hotspur in his first interview after being named interim head coach.

Spurs appointed the 47-year-old Croatian until the end of the season after Thomas Frank was sacked just seven months into his tenure at the north London club. Now Tudor must pick up the pieces and get the 16th-placed Lilywhites back on track as they currently sit perilously just five points above West Ham in 18th place in the Premier League.

The Croatian's first match is a North London Derby on Sunday afternoon, with Mikel Arteta's title hopefuls making the short trip across the capital.

Here's what Tudor, who has been parachuted in to improve clubs like Juventus, Lazio and Udinese in the past, said in his first interview with the club.

"Big challenge for me, big honour to be here, I'm very happy. In the same way, I don't think too much about myself, because I'm focused on work to do. Wherever you go, it's always about your relationship with the place, with the team, with the town," he said.

"There are a lot of similarities, even if this is like the NBA of European football, this is the best of the best, so it's a privilege to be here. First priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments. The team needs, I believe, first of all to get some confidence, to get some courage, but also in the same way, the concrete things in the pitch.

"Of course, I'm coming here knowing the situation is not easy, there's no time to find excuses. What I said from the first day here, each of us, each of the players, need to give something, something more, something extra, because the position of the club at this moment is not that anybody can accept. Every fan of Tottenham cannot accept the situation.

"We are aware of that, but it's not enough to just be aware of that. I like to be positive, I like to play offensive football. Of course, that's my first goal I have, that I like to score the goal, but in the same way, for sure, I need to give organisation in defence, give the clear structure of what you want to play."

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He added: "The situation is not easy, because, as you know better than me, we have a lot of injured players, so we need first to find the best system, the suit for the players that are available in this moment. So, a very particular moment, maybe this can sound strange, but I believe that the thing that we need to be focused on is the training. So, the training from today, that's the key, because, as I always like to say, Sunday and the game is a consequence of the training.

"So, that needs to be focused. The coach needs to show the path, where is the way we want to go, how we want to go, and the players need to accept this, and together, in this way, preparing during the week is the best thing for Sunday."

Tudor is looking forward to reuniting with some old acquaintances as well from his Juventus days.

"Yeah, I know some players, I've also coached Dejan [Kulusevski] and Rodrigo [Bentancur]. Unfortunately, they are not now available to play immediately, but they are here in the dressing room, for sure. But I find all players very available to react, let's say like this. I believe in style, and style is more important than the system, of course," he said.

"As I said, a very particular moment, so every club has its particularity. Yeah, can I say this word? That is first as a culture of the club, which kind of football they like, so it's always important to think about that. But in the same way, not forget who I am, what I want the team to achieve, but thinking, this player can do this.

"So, I need to be with my staff, very intelligent, to find the best possible way to get out in a very, very short time. It was a good first session, we started to know each other. It was one hour, because we had five days free, so first training is not too much, and tomorrow we start to work serious.

"Big week, yes, big week, important games. Important game, we know everybody. This derby is a fantastic game to play. We want to play this game in a way that our fans will like.

"So, going and give everything what we have, in the right way, brave, but in the same way intelligent and smart, to achieve what we want, and that's the victory."

Tudor is looking for his team to be a powerful, physical one in the remaining weeks of the season in order to get back on track.

"I believe that in football, in 2026, it's changed a lot. It's changing year by year, so more physical players, let's say, it's crucial," said the Croatian.

"If you can run 115 kilometres as a team, it's better than 105. That means that you have one player extra, so there is nothing strange to choose that direction, of course. It's always about motivated players that understand this thing about running, about the physical aspect of football, which is sometimes not easy.

"But that without quality, you cannot do nothing. So, technical skills, intelligence to see, to recognise the situation, speech is always above everything. So, you need to find a mix about both things. And about winning or drawing, that's true. I never saw the coach who said that he can play for draw. It's not possible. So, offensive football, yes, but smart. So, that's the key."

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