Igor Tudor is winning Tottenham fans over by doing this

One of Thomas Frank's great oversights, especially when faced with a torrid availability crisis, was his unwillingness to turn to the club's academy.

A mightily unpopular figure come the end of his tenure, Frank did hand Jun'ai Byfield his senior debut in the Champions League and gave Luca Williams-Barnett a few minutes in the Carabao Cup, but that was it.

Embracing youth is almost a popularity cheat code for a manager, with supporters desperate to retain the sense of community that's gradually being eroded at the highest level. Seeing kids from the academy earn opportunities of a lifetime helps reinforce that connection.

Since rocking up on English shores, Igor "he doesn't know our game" Tudor has been chastised and borderline patronised; seen almost like a Borat figure because his expertise lies in the antiquated lands of Serie A, where the football is slow and everyone plays 3-5-2.

An admittedly poor start to his tenure left me sceptical, and the nightmare of an evening against Crystal Palace meant I was advocating for his sacking. I just didn't see any light at the end of any tunnels, only oncoming trains, but Tudor has proved plenty of panicked supporters wrong over the past 180 minutes of Tottenham Hotspur football we dreaded not so long ago.

The 47-year-old Croat, who was managing Italian minnows *Juventus* as recently as October, has proven himself to be not merely an adaptable football coach, but also an adroit politician who knows how to capture public feeling.

Trust in Tottenham's youth has aided Tudor's cause

Suddenly, there's hope in north London.

The draw at Anfield was followed up by our best performance in the best part of two years. Sure, it contributed to our Champions League exit, but winning Wednesday's second leg against Atlético Madrid felt hugely significant heading into Sunday's relegation six-pointer.

As a result of a newfound lease of life facilitated by Tudor, the club is starting to feel unified again. It's no longer a fixture to dread, but one that should be met head-on. Victory over Nottingham Forest, given what's immediately come before it, means the Doomsday scenario of Championship football will seldom be considered during the international break.

It's bound to be a special atmosphere for what's our most significant domestic fixture in years, and that's not merely because of the occasion, nor as a result of Wednesday's excellent performances. Tudor's helped shift the narrative by turning to teenagers.

Callum Olusesi hasn't generated anywhere near the buzz that any of Williams-Barnett, Byfield, or even Tynan Thompson have, yet the 19-year-old midfielder, in back-to-back games, has been handed Premier League and Champions League debuts at critical junctures.

And guess what, the kid looked at ease. These academy starlets are good! Fabio Paratici was rather hit-and-miss on the recruitment front, but boy, did he do a stellar job to regenerate a stagnant academy in north London. He helped do the same at Juventus, and Luciano Spalletti is the latest to reap the rewards.

Olusesi may not amount to anything at Tottenham, but that's beyond the point. Tudor's trust in an exciting academy has helped foster the sudden feeling of hope in what are still perilous times. There may be fewer opportunities as more senior players return, but the teenager must believe that there's a pathway for him to succeed at Spurs, one that was seemingly blocked by Frank.

The interim manager is certainly winning me over, and those who believe ’Arry Redknapp is the answer may have their minds changed come Sunday evening.