Tottenham boss Igor Tudor insisted he needed to hook Antonin Kinsky after just 15 minutes in Tottenham’s Champions League meltdown in Madrid ‘to preserve the guy and preserve the team’.
Tudor recalled Kinsky for his first game since October but his two early mistakes helped Atletico go 3-0 up in 15 minutes.
Tudor called Guglielmo Vicario from the bench and, after the defeat, explained: ‘I am coaching for 15 years and never have done this, but it was necessary to preserve the guy and preserve the team. It was an incredible situation.
‘Before the game it was the right choice, with pressure on Vicario and Toni a very good goalkeeper. After this happened, of course, it is easy to say it is not the right decision.
‘Toni was sorry, he made an excuse for the team. He is a bright guy and a good goalkeeper. The team is with him. Me too. He understands.
‘Unfortunately, it happened big mistakes in a big game. It was too much for us in this moment when we are fragile, we are weak.’
Antonin Kinsky (left) was substituted ‘to preserve the team’, according to Spurs’ Igor Tudor
Tudor (pictured) made the decision to take Kinsky off the field after 17 minutes of his Champions League debut following two errors
Joe Hart led the criticism of the Spurs boss, who opted not to approach the player as he made his way down the tunnel
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart, however, led the criticism of Tudor post-match. The Spurs interim boss, who has now lost all four of his games in charge, conceding 14 goals, blanked the Czech as he made his way down the tunnel.
A number of Spurs players, including the likes of Palhinha and Conor Gallagher, raced after him to console him after a nightmare Champions League debut.
Hart said on TNT Sports: ‘To get to this level, signed by Spurs, one mistake does not alter you. That is a technical error, but what proceeds that… was it the right decision? Maybe it was. But what I saw after…
‘I hate being reactive because I like to know all the facts. But the fact he has taken him off in that situation having played him… he is young, 22, he is not a man, he has done nothing to try and hurt spurs. A couple of bad moments, but to rip him off in this situation and not even acknowledge the guy? Every single one of Tottenham‘s players who are feeling the pain don’t know what to do. How is that good for him?’
He added: ‘It is a thing with ‘keepers, you have got to accept you will have nights like that. Everyone has them. Buffon, Neuer, Schmeichel. They have had moments, but everything that has gone on on top of it, he will feel so unwelcomed as far as the management is involved.
‘You have to be treated like a human, just a little bit. I understand the situation. This needs getting a serious grip of. Madness happens all the time in football. That was mad, maybe he didn’t handle it how he should have.
‘I saw the whole bench’s hearts drop. They are saying, don’t worry we are here for you. It’s the human side of things. If you aren’t willing to show it, that’s when it starts to divide.’
Former midfielder Steve McManaman, meanwhile, added: ‘He is 22, been at Spurs for a year, getting paid Champions League wages. We all understand what happened and the mistakes, but it wasn’t about that, it was about being a figure to say, don’t worry about it, it was a small thing the manager needed to do.
‘I have no issue with the sub, but go over and say, don’t worry. It takes five seconds. Then move forward. The optics look terrible, you aren’t doing anything to help that kid’s career at all.’
