Tottenham Hotspur faced another difficult night on Tuesday, There was a crushing defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid 5-2.
While there were glimmers of hope as Spurs created chances and never completely conceded, Igor Tudor's decision to start Antonin Kinski ended the game before it really started.
The goalkeeper made major mistakes in the first 15 minutes of the match, and was chosen to start ahead of Guglielmo Vicario. He was taken off within the first 20 minutes, with several teammates running out to console him as he walked down the tunnel.
Tudor is no stranger to making bold decisions – as evidenced by her time in Italy. However, the move to start Kinski over Vicario in a big Champions League clash is one of his most controversial, given how things turned out.
The Croatian is now facing criticism across Italy for his decision. He has a reputation in the country, and it's not all positive.
Di Canio is angry at the Tottenham manager
Paolo Di Canio was in the Sky Italia studios for Tuesday's Champions League fixtures. He was asked about Tudor's big decision to drop Vicario and he was furious at the manager.
He said- relayed by corriere dello sport: : “I feel sorry for him, maybe he is letting all this happen and doesn't realize what the tabloids will write tomorrow. They are mean, they will destroy him because when such decisions are taken, they are beyond comprehension.
The Italian also questioned why his compatriot was dropped by Tudor in the first place. He hinted at possible trouble in the dressing room.
"I don't know if there was a problem with Vicario or not, and maybe there were some clashes in the dressing room, but certainly not because the recent defeats are Vicario's fault. He made some mistakes, but there was a raging army at the front that was leaking from all sides."
Di Canio described Tudor as the person who destroyed Kinski's career at a young age.
"If you put a guy who has played 17 matches for Slavia Prague in such a delicate match and say he is a good player with only six matches, you asked for it and you destroyed him, even if it is true that he could have performed worse later on."
The former West Ham player insists that Tottenham will appoint an English manager soon, with Tudor unlikely to stick around for very long.
"I often think that Tudor is too strict, and I don't know whether he will pay for it at the highest level in his career. I really don't think he will stay at Tottenham; they will go and get an English manager."
Our opinion on Tudor's situation at Tottenham
Igor Tudor is struggling to put out a fire burning London's giants. Whatever it is, it has fueled it.
He is not a manager who can help struggling Tottenham players when needed. Many players in the team have never been in this situation before and it shows on the pitch. They clearly need someone who can cheer them up.
Tudor's risky human-sign approach hasn't worked either. Despite this, he stuck to it against Atleti.
Tottenham need a manager who can help struggling players believe in themselves again. Tudor has proven the opposite.
