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Tottenham's squad feel Igor Tudor has imposed himself too forcefully since his arrival at the club, with some viewing his approach as 'disrespectful' and others finding it 'borderline mocking,'football.london understands. The 47-year-old has failed to make any meaningful positive impression following Thomas Frank's departure and remains winless in his tenure.
Tuesday's crushing 5-2 Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid highlighted the team's complete disorganisation, with young shot-stopper Antonin Kinsky suffering a nightmarish 16-minute period before his first-half withdrawal. His early mistakes saw Spurs trailing 3-0 within a quarter of an hour.
Guglielmo Vicario came on shortly afterwards, representing yet another instance of the interim manager's increasingly dubious team selection decisions. Tudor's efforts to enforce discipline have spectacularly misfired, and football.london understands this has bred frustration and scepticism amongst the playing staff regarding his authority.
Following the final whistle in Madrid, Tudor then seemingly ignored Kinsky as the goalkeeper departed the field, choosing not to address him about either the substitution or what such an episode might mean for his professional trajectory. A telling silence.
The Telegraph reports that Kinsky is anticipated to pursue a summer loan switch as he attempts to resurrect his goalkeeping career. Tudor has also encountered difficulties with the training sessions under his supervision.
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They have left the squad 'unhappy', whilst the delayed arrival of his trusted assistant Ivan Javorcic, held up by work-permit complications, has merely compounded the discontent.
Compounding the issue, players like Xavi Simons and recent acquisition Conor Gallagher have been relegated to the periphery, with the latter being demoted to a bench role.
In contrast, senior squad members such as Dominic Solanke, Gallagher and Joao Palhinha were seen sprinting from the sidelines and into the tunnel in an attempt to comfort Kinsky.
Post-match, Tudor asserted that it was 'my decision, of course,' and revealed that he had spoken to Kinsky in the changing room after the incident. Tudor's remarks in the press have also incensed fans.
Following four consecutive losses under his leadership, a streak that has plunged Tottenham into an unprecedented six-game losing run, he retorted with a dismissive 'No comment.'
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust released a statement post-match demanding immediate intervention. "Tonight's performance and result is a total disgrace. It's symptomatic of the abysmal state of things at Spurs right now," it declared.
"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 sleep walking 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. There will be more to follow....
"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."
Tudor's future at the north London club hangs in the balance, with no assurances he'll still be at the helm when Tottenham head to Anfield on Sunday.
The upcoming fixture carries immense weight for Spurs, who currently sit just one point clear of the relegation zone and are in dire need of a turnaround.
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