Vinai Venkatesham joins Tottenham as new CEO, influencing manager selection

A significant change has occurred at Tottenham. A person who will have a strong voice in the appointment of the next manager has joined. He came from the 'rival' Arsenal.

Tottenham announced on the 12th (Korea time) that "this summer, Vinai Venkatesham will join the club's board of directors as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)."

Venkatesham has built expertise in both football operations and the commercial institutional sector while serving as CEO at Tottenham Arsenal.

Additionally, he has been active at the organizing committee for the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics. He currently serves as a non-executive director at the British Olympic Association. He also has experience serving on the board and executive committee of the European Club Association (ECA).

Daniel Levy, the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, said, "The club has achieved significant growth in recent years. Therefore, it was essential to expand the management team. I have known Venkatesham for a long time through our work together in the Premier League and ECA, and I am personally very pleased that he is joining our board."

Venkatesham noted, "I am very excited to join Tottenham this summer. After taking time to recharge and consider various options, I believe this opportunity to shape the future of the club alongside Chairman Levy, the Tottenham board, and all the staff is very special."

The British media outlet 'Football London' pointed out that "the recruitment of a person who has worked for a long time at North London's rival Arsenal is an unusual move for Tottenham."

Venkatesham and Levy are expected to collaborate across all operations both within and outside of Tottenham.

'Football London' explained, "Those who have interacted with him inside and outside the industry described Venkatesham as sophisticated, attractive, likable, a smooth communicator, and someone who genuinely considers fans. He has the ability to engage naturally with fans, the media, and internal executives. However, he is essentially a businessman with an accounting background rather than a traditional 'football expert.' He has acknowledged this and has been operating by coordinating with football specialists while managing from above. The fact that both the club's internal staff and fans expressed regret when he left Arsenal is proof he was more than just a businessman."

'Football London' anticipated that he would speak out to strengthen leadership at Tottenham and take on the role of "public communication channel."

The media stated, "Tottenham's trust with fans has collapsed, and its external image is also negative. Frequent managerial changes and internal confusion have made the club the subject of ridicule. Fans are paying high ticket prices, yet they receive almost no clear explanation about why the club makes certain decisions. Venkatesham is a figure who can clarify the club's position to fans and the media, thereby restoring trust. He often visited the press room on match days during his time at Arsenal and appeared frequently in interviews to explain club operations. His presence is expected to also examine the efficiency of each department within Tottenham. This could impact all sectors, including duties, science, the academy, and the women's team."

The media then analyzed what Venkatesham might mean for Levy. They noted, "In the end, Levy is still the one making the final decisions; however, if Venkatesham takes on many practical responsibilities, Levy could step back somewhat and focus on a strategic role. Levy is known to have kept an eye on Venkatesham for a long time. It is possible that he will show a degree of trust in Venkatesham, just as he did with Fabio Paratici, who was granted a lot of autonomy in the past."

They added, "The person who will be most affected by his hiring is Scott Munn, the current head of football operations. Having joined Tottenham in 2023, he will now report to Venkatesham. Another key figure is Technical Director Johan Lange. He is focusing on recruiting young players, which aligns with the direction Venkatesham concentrated on at Arsenal. He will need to demonstrate more results to maintain his position moving forward." They also noted, "Manager Ange Postecoglou has recently expressed concerns about his future, and if he leaves this summer, it is expected that Venkatesham will take the lead in the next manager appointment process."

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