I played under Tottenham manager Igor Tudor - what he did behind the scenes left me shocked

The Croatian coach has a lot of work on his hands if Tottenham want to avoid relegation

Igor Tudor is struggling to win over the Tottenham dressing room and sack rumours are starting to grow after just three matches in charge. This is not the first time that the Croatian manager's fierce persona has struggled to rally his troops, with Spurs losing to Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace under his tutorship.

Tudor landed the Marseille job in the summer of 2022 and his behaviour behind the scenes shocked his players. Ex-West Ham star Dimitri Payet was part of that squad and gave an insight into what the 47-year-old is like at the training ground.

Payet said: "We all got acquainted with someone who was coarse and blunt.

"In his manners and words, he was authoritative. We were all a bit shocked."

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He added: "With a little hindsight, he was excessively harsh at first to mark his territory and implement some measures. Then, it was a bit better.

"I have respected his choices. I was not in his plans but I would have liked for him, sometimes, to trust me more."

Payet's words speak volumes about the type of manager Tudor aims to be in terms of a leading and strict nature - which is not going down well in north London. While he spent just one year at Marseille - coincidentally being knocked out of the Champions League after a loss to Spurs at home - his mark was felt by the squad.

Tudor will use this authoritative nature in north London to aim to stay in the Premier League after he slammed Van de Ven for his sending off against Palace. Speaking post-match, the Croatian showcased his no-nonsense attitude as he urged the Spurs players to "stay together."

Tudor said: "I want to be positive. I cannot tell the guys nothing in the end after this game. They gave everything.

"Unfortunately, we pay every detail. We pay every detail. If we can say that red card is a detail, there is always something to say. With all the problems we have now, missing the defenders today, missing the full-backs, these are the problems we already know.

"I don't want to speak about that, but we need to stay together now. I always repeat the same things, but it is how it is. Believing and growing. Do not make mistakes. This is the key in the end of football. Stay there, don't make mistakes.

"One goal, you always score. Two goals, you can score, but it's important to not make mistakes in football. Unfortunately, now, in this moment, we pay everything, but in return, I believe, we change everything. Still nine games to play. Still nine games to play."