Topics: Tottenham Hotspur, Sweden, Football, Premier League, Champions League
Tottenham Hotspur's horror run of form in the Premier League has been brought up by a Swedish politician during a session of the nation's parliament.
Spurs have endured a nightmare campaign domestically, and they now sit in 16th place - just five points clear of the relegation zone.
Thomas Frank was sacked earlier this month after a run of just two wins in 17 matches, before being replaced by former Juventus boss Igor Tudor on an interim basis until the end of the season.
There have been some doubts raised among fans about former Croatia midfielder Tudor, who is now entering his 13th separate stint as a manager since 2015.
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Much of his managerial career has been spent in Italian football, having taken charge of Udinese (twice), Hellas Verona, Lazio and Juventus.
He was sacked by Juve in October after winning 10 of his 24 matches, with the Italian giants in eighth place after eight Serie A matches at the time of his departure.
Now, he must guide Spurs comfortably clear of the relegation zone while competing on two fronts, with Spurs in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Tudor will have to do without Sweden midfielder Lucas Bergvall during the opening weeks of his reign, as the 20-year-old underwent ankle surgery last month.
Fellow Swede Dejan Kulusevski, meanwhile, hasn't kicked a ball all season after suffering a right patella knee injury towards the end of last season.
Kulusevski recently shared a video of himself in the gym, but previous boss Frank expressed doubt over whether he would be available to play this season, revealing he underwent an injection in December in an attempt to be able to train pain-free.
The presence of Bergvall and Kulusevski means there is plenty of interest in Spurs back in Sweden - and one politician mocked the club during a session of Swedish parliament.
Social Democratic Party politician Mikael Damberg, who is the nation's former Minister for Finance, compared Sweden's current economic policy to that of Tottenham's own transfer strategy.
"I naturally think of Tottenham Hotspurs," Damberg began. "Also known as Spurs.
"It is one of England's most distinguished clubs. A rich club, with an enormous stadium. Dedicated and large supporter base. Everything to be considered a top team.
"Despite this, Tottenham find themselves in crisis. They are fighting at the bottom of the table, just a few points above the relegation zone.
"Not because they lack resources. Not because they lack benefits. But because they have squandered their opportunities. Due to making wrong decisions, general jerkiness, and thinking in the short-term.
"Have they lost their direction and stability? The club has even given this a name, 'Spursy' - when you have opportunities but get no results.
"Madame Speaker, that is precisely how the Minister of Finance is handling the Swedish economy."
