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Spurs teeter on relegation edge after another home defeat
Tottenham Hotspur's rapid fall from European glory to Premier League relegation fears continued Thursday as thousands of fans exited early during a damaging 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace at their own stadium. The result leaves the North London club just one point above the drop zone, deepening a crisis that has unfolded less than a year after lifting the Europa League trophy.
Interim manager Igor Tudor under fire after third straight loss
Croatian coach Igor Tudor, appointed in December as an "impact coach" following the dismissal of Thomas Frank, has now lost three consecutive matches. His short-term mandate was intended to steady a sinking ship, but the opposite has occurred, with supporters and pundits already questioning whether he will last the season.
Former Tottenham and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Sport: "This problem has been building for years. You can circle the drain for only so long before you fall in. Daniel Levy gets a lot of criticism-some of it unfair. He hired 'win now' managers like José Mourinho and Antonio Conte but didn't give them 'win now' players."
Daniel Levy's legacy: stadium success, on-field failure
Levy, who stepped down as chairman last September after nearly 25 years, remains a polarizing figure. While he delivered the club's state-of-the-art stadium, critics argue he failed to provide the financial backing needed to consistently challenge for Premier League titles.
Under his leadership, Spurs reached 16 semi-finals and seven finals but won only two trophies-the 2008 League Cup and last season's Europa League. Since sacking Mauricio Pochettino in November 2019, the club has spent £979 million on transfers, with a net outlay of £653 million-trailing only Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal.
Yet financial prudence, including a wage bill of £248.6 million last season-far below the Premier League's "Big Six"-has not translated into success. Levy's reputation for driving hard bargains also backfired, with key targets like Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White slipping away.
Leadership overhaul fails to halt downward spiral
With Levy gone, the club's new power structure-CEO Vinai Venkatesham, sporting director Johan Lange, and the Lewis family-now faces intense scrutiny. Venkatesham, formerly of Arsenal, has struggled to replicate the stability he brought to Mikel Arteta's early tenure. His decision to sack Frank and appoint Tudor, a coach with a patchy record, has been widely criticized as a panic move.
Robinson added: "They needed a Harry Redknapp or Sean Dyche to keep them up. Instead, they've gone for a manager who won't be there next season, regardless of results. Some players can't wait to leave for European football next year. These things add up."
Injuries and sales compound Spurs' woes
The club's struggles have been exacerbated by long-term absences. Creative midfielders Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison-both sidelined since last season-have yet to feature in 2025-26, while striker Dominic Solanke missed months with an ankle injury. The departures of Son Heung-min (to LAFC) and Harry Kane (to Bayern Munich in 2023) have left a gaping hole in attack.
"Spurs don't have their top three scorers from the last three seasons," Robinson noted. "Kane, Son, and Brennan Johnson have all been sold." Summer signings Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus have also failed to make an impact, leaving the squad thin on quality.
Pochettino's shadow looms over Tottenham's future
Fan sentiment remains firmly with Pochettino, who led Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final. His sacking 171 days later marked the beginning of the club's decline, with subsequent managers-Mourinho, Conte, Nuno Espírito Santo, Ange Postecoglou, and Frank-failing to recapture his magic.
"That Champions League final should have been the starting point," Robinson said. "Instead, the club has regressed ever since. Pochettino is the one manager fans would walk over hot coals to bring back. But would he return to a Championship club?"
As the crisis deepens, few figures escape blame. From the boardroom to the pitch, Tottenham's dysfunction has left supporters disillusioned, with only 19-year-old Archie Gray-forced to plug gaps far beyond his experience-emerging unscathed.
Relegation could cost Spurs over £250 million
The financial implications of dropping into the Championship would be catastrophic, with estimates suggesting losses exceeding £250 million. For a club that prides itself on financial responsibility, the prospect of second-tier football is unthinkable.
With the season entering its final stretch, Spurs face a fight for survival. Whether Tudor can steady the ship or whether the club will turn to Pochettino-or another candidate-remains uncertain. What is clear is that the current trajectory is unsustainable.
