The winds of change are blowing through North London once again, and while the arrival of Igor Tudor as interim head coach has been met with a fair amount of skepticism from the fanbase, one particular player might be secretly celebrating the appointment.
Tottenham Hotspur acted with remarkable speed to find a successor for Thomas Frank, settling on the 47-year-old Croatian to steady the ship until the end of the current campaign. While Tudor’s contract is strictly short-term, the ripple effects of his arrival are already being felt across the training ground at Hotspur Way, particularly by those players who have found themselves lost in the tactical wilderness of a truly dismal season.
If there is one individual who stands to gain the most from this managerial pivot, it is undoubtedly Randal Kolo Muani. The French forward, who arrived on loan from Paris Saint-Germain with high expectations, has endured a nightmare stint in the Premier League so far.
Despite his obvious talent and the significant investment PSG made when they originally signed him for £76 million, Kolo Muani has looked like a shadow of his former self in England. He is still searching for his first Premier League goal, and his lack of confidence has been painful for the supporters to watch. However, Tudor’s arrival changes the dynamic entirely because the two share a very successful recent history.
The pair worked together during Kolo Muani’s loan spell at Juventus last season, and the results were transformative. Before Tudor took over the reins at the Allianz Arena, the 27-year-old striker had gone eight consecutive Serie A matches without finding the back of the net.
Once the Croatian took charge, he immediately placed his faith in the Frenchman, starting him in all six of the club’s final matches. Kolo Muani responded by scoring three times in that short period, rediscovering the clinical edge that had seemingly vanished.
It appears that Tudor possesses a unique understanding of how to unlock the striker’s potential, providing the specific tactical instructions and psychological backing that Kolo Muani desperately needs to thrive.
During that brief but fruitful period in Italy, Kolo Muani looked much more like the elite-level forward that commanded such a massive transfer fee in the past. He was more aggressive in the box, better at linking play, and appeared to have a clearer understanding of his role within the team’s structure.
For a Tottenham side currently hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone, having a firing Kolo Muani could be the difference between survival and a historic catastrophe. If Tudor can replicate the “Juve effect” in N17, the decision to bring him in as a stopgap might be remembered as a masterstroke.
However, the revitalization of Kolo Muani might not be good news for everyone in the squad. Dominic Solanke, who has only recently returned from a long injury layoff, might find his place in the starting eleven under threat. Solanke had just begun to rediscover his own goal-scoring form, providing a rare bright spot during the final days of the Thomas Frank era.
If Tudor decides to build his attacking unit around the familiarity he has with Kolo Muani, Solanke could find himself back on the bench, a frustrating prospect for a player who has worked so hard to regain his fitness.
Tottenham’s sporting director, Johan Lange, has been vocal about why Tudor was the chosen candidate. He pointed toward the coach’s proven track record of making an immediate impact at clubs in crisis. Tudor is not a manager who needs months to implement a philosophy; he is a tactical “firefighter” who specializes in quick turnarounds and emotional resets.
In his first interview since taking the job, Tudor was quick to praise the quality within the Spurs squad, insisting that his primary goal is to re-energize a group of players that has looked drained of confidence and ideas.
The task ahead is monumental. Tottenham is currently in a position that was unthinkable just a year ago, and the pressure on Tudor to produce results instantly is immense. He knows that he is essentially on a twelve-game audition; if he performs exceptionally well, he might force the board to consider him for the permanent role in the summer.
But for now, the focus is purely on the next match and finding a way to get the ball into the back of the net. While the fans remain cautious, the prospect of seeing the “real” Randal Kolo Muani finally arrive in the Premier League is a narrative worth following. If Tudor can get his favorite forward firing, the mood in North London could shift from anxiety to optimism much faster than anyone expected.
