With interim manager Igor Tudor struggling to improve the club's fortunes, and little evidence of progress, is there anyone else Spurs could realistically call upon to rescue their season?

This is the question we have been considering in this page over the past few hours.

Just 10 months after winning the Europa League, Tottenham sit one point above the relegation places with nine games remaining.

"In footballing terms, this is an absolute crisis that Tottenham are in," commentator John Murray said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

It is the need to avoid an unthinkable first relegation from the top flight since 1977 which will inform the club's next steps.

BBC Sport reporter Harry Poole has been looking into where Tottenham go from here...

Image source, Getty Images

Matt got in touch before we published that interview with Micky van de Ven, but clearly his overall feelings towards the Tottenham players is not a positive one...

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

What do you think about Micky van de Ven's quotes?

He says Spurs were hit by a "doomsday scenario" in Madrid, are going through a "really terrible period" and he is "completely done" with his phone - presumably staying off it to avoid reading criticism about the team and his own performances...

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven spoke to Dutch outlet Ziggo Sport after last night's defeat in Madrid.

The defender, who slipped before Atletico Madrid's second goal, said the first 20 minutes of the match in Spain was a "doomsday scenario". The Netherlands international then admitted the club's recent form has been "rough" to deal with and that he avoids looking at his phone.

Full transcript

Interviewer: How did you find this match, man?

Van de Ven: Yeah, terrible. I'll be completely honest with you, it's actually a doomsday scenario, everything that could go wrong in the first 20 minutes went wrong. I can't really say much more about it.

Interviewer: That first quarter of an hour, what on earth happened? The pitch was sliding terribly. The goalkeeper, that's just bad luck of course.

Van de Ven: Yeah, like you said, everyone's slipping. I slipped myself too, you know. Those are moments where you just really can't do anything about it. But I can't really stand here and start blaming the field. You kind of know what I mean? So for our goalkeeper (Kinsky) it's terrible as well of course, because he's making his debut, so you don't wish that on anyone. For the rest, yeah, what can I say? For 15 minutes we just conceded goals that you really can't do anything about. Again, I can't go blaming the field here, so yeah, that was just really tough.

Interviewer: Football can be the greatest sport in the world, right. But yeah, now you're stuck in this weird flow. How do you get out of it? Yeah, maybe you'd say 'get the group together straight away', but are there other things you can think of? You're a bit older now, a bit more experienced.

Van de Ven: Yeah, that's really hard to say, because you could just come out here and give the standard talk about how 'we all need to stick together and work hard', but right now we're just taking blow after blow after blow. So it's just really tough. And now we also have an important match this weekend that I won't be able to play in because I'm suspended of course. But yeah, it's a really terrible period, I can tell you that. It's really, really awful, man.

Interviewer: How are you doing mentally yourself?

Van de Ven: It's rough, I can tell you that, really rough. So like I said, I have to keep going. It's part of it, that's life and we'll see what's coming.

Interviewer: I'd say avoid your phone a little.

Van de Ven: I'm not on my phone anymore. I'm completely done with it. Just my family. So it'll be fine. Take it easy, man. Thank you, yeah.

Chris Waddle
Former Tottenham winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

This does not seem like a place that Igor Tudor can rescue Spurs from. But who can?

It was a horrible game but Tottenham are such an easy team to play against. They do not look like they want to wear the shirt and there is no team spirit.

If you have no confidence, then do not play. That is what you are paid for - to create and do things, and work hard.

Image source, Getty Images

Paul Robinson
Former Tottenham goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Tottenham have a huge injury list, but so do other clubs. That is not an excuse.

The minimum requirement is maximum effort and Spurs did not even look like they knew which way they were playing.

It is about attitude and application and that is just not there at Tottenham.

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

One talking point that has not been fully addressed today in this page has been the role the current crop of players have played in Tottenham's stuttering form.

Coming up we have the views of former players Paul Robinson and Chris Waddle on this topic.

And we also have some interesting comments from current centre-back Micky van de Ven, from an interview he gave with a Dutch TV station on Tuesday night...

Speaking before Wednesday night's defeat by Atletico Madrid, former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega told BBC World Service that he has held talks with a consortium interested in buying the club.

The Swiss, who spent four years in north London between 1997 and 2001, says the club are suffering because of "neglect".

“I played for the club, I won something for the club, I know what the club is all about, I know what the fans are all about and their passion," said Vega."They all want, of course, to win something and the good of the club. The frustrating side, when you look from the outside, there are years of neglection of recruitment. The football side was pretty much put aside. They have no forward thinking recruitment strategy in place. They have all these injuries (but) they’re not spending in the January market to get extra players for these five or six months and now, most likely might be very costly if it goes that direction we don’t want.

“For all what the savings they’ve done in the past, and created a business around football but not with football and that now is going to be potentially the problem and the fans are going to be the ones paying for it because they’re one of the most expensive tickets in the Premier League. Now, they’re mostly thinking to potentially watch them in the Championship.

“The owners have to think very seriously. Sell it to somebody who really wants to be building up a football club or invest into it.”

Image source, Getty Images

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

Former Tottenham players are not only being linked with the manager's role, one ex-defender says he has been involved in talks with a consortium interested in buying the club...

There are six Premier League clubs still very much in the mixer for relegation this season.

Nottingham Forest, Tottenham and Leeds United are the three teams currently sat precariously above the relegation zone, with West Ham United, Burnley and Wolves taking up the unwanted spots.

In past 38-game seasons in the Premier League's history, 36 points would have ensured survival 60% of the time. The rate of survival increases to 80% for 38 points, 90% for 40 points and 100% for 43 or more points.

• You can read that full article here

Spurs are currently 16th in the table on 29 points. Three of their nine remaining league games are against teams in the bottom six.

Check out their remaining fixtures to see where you think Tottenham could pick up the points they need to ensure their safety:

• Liverpool (A) - 15 March
• Nottingham Forest (H) - 22 March
• Sunderland (A) - 12 April
• Brighton (H) - 18 April
• Wolves (A) - 25 April
• Aston Villa (A) - 02 May
• Leeds United (H) - 9 May
• Chelsea (A) - 17 May
• Everton (H) - 24 May

There is a lot of jesting, poking and bating going on in this page today, which isn't very surprising - football banter was ever thus.

But there is a serious question for the 80% of you who, according to today's poll at the top of this page, want to see a change.

Who would you like to see replace Igor Tudor as Tottenham manager - on a permanent basis or until the end of the season?

Get in touch with your thoughts using the 'Get Involved' button...

Ben: I wonder if the 20% of voters who voted no [in BBC Sport's poll] are simply those who want Tottenham relegated or want the easy points in their remaining fixtures?

Sami Mokbel
BBC Sport Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The question Tottenham's board members will be asking themselves after Igor Tudor's latest aberration is: are the players responding to the manager's methods?

The answer appears clear - four games have brought four losses, with 14 goals conceded.

Results aside, sources have indicated to BBC Sport in recent days that members of the squad are still to be convinced that Tudor has the tools to guide this struggling team away from the sorry predicament they find themselves in.

So, with that in mind, the club's hierarchy clearly has a big decision to make - and this result will only serve to sharpen the focus on Tudor's job security in the coming days.

A decision to sack Tudor so soon after his appointment would provide a clear admission of error from Tottenham's hierarchy.

The club's ownership, you would imagine, will be demanding answers.

Chris Waddle
Former Tottenham winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

Tottenham Hotspur has become a business. They have a new stadium, one of the best in the world, and it is now a business. The football has become second to that.

You need someone who has a football mindset and wants to make Tottenham Hotspur a great club. They have the money to make this club massive.

Until the business takes a back seat, people will always be chirping.