Poyet, speaking to Football Presse on behalf of William Hill, said: “Listen, I was ready. I was ready and I thought… maybe.
“But they made their decision.”
Tottenham’s turbulent campaign has already seen multiple managerial calls, with Tudor brought in during a difficult period before the club ultimately moved again — underlining the scale of instability in north London.
Poyet believes the reasoning behind Tudor’s appointment was clear.
“I know Igor Tudor,” he said. “I think he’s a character.
“I think they were looking more for a strong personality — someone with presence, someone big to create a reaction.
“And it didn’t work. These are decisions.”
While Poyet admits disappointment at not being considered, he was quick to frame the situation as part of the realities of modern football — where boards must take both credit and responsibility for their calls.
“When boards make good decisions, they get praise,” he said.
“But when you make a bad decision, you need to take responsibility as well.
“And that’s why they changed again.”
Since then, Tottenham have turned to Roberto De Zerbi in an attempt to stabilise their season — a move that reflects a longer-term vision after short-term fixes failed to deliver.
For Poyet, however, managerial impact can only go so far.
“Before you start the job, every coach — me, Tudor, De Zerbi — we all think about how we will turn it around,” he said.
“But until the games are played, you don’t know. Because we don’t play — the players do.”
He also pointed to the fine margins that define how managers are judged.
“You can play a normal game, score a wonderful goal and win, and people say you were fantastic,” he said.
“You play the same way, miss that moment, and suddenly you’re not good enough.
“But you are the same coach, the same tactics, the same mentality. One action changes everything.”
Turning to Tottenham’s fight at the bottom end of the table, Poyet admitted serious concern based on what he has seen firsthand.
“It’s difficult for me to answer if they will stay up,” he said.
“They are the only team in that group I’ve seen live — and I didn’t like what I saw.”
Poyet recalled watching the north London derby defeat to Arsenal as a turning point.
“I was sitting behind the bench,” he said. “I came away thinking: they are in danger.”
However, he acknowledged signs of improvement in recent performances, including a stronger showing against Nottingham Forest.
“I saw improvement, a big improvement,” he said.
Ultimately, Poyet believes Tottenham’s willingness to act — even repeatedly — may yet prove decisive.
“Changing the coach again showed the world that it didn’t work the first time,” he said.
“But they were strong enough to make another decision.
“Now we have to see if this reaction works.”