It was worth a try surely, to see if they had an edge even with less money. Turned out they didn't.
Rival watch
- Thread starter Spurlock
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I dont think many clubs have ever had football knowledge on their board. I think this is because there are very few ways to get an edge in football matters whereas managing the money has always been the important issue because money is the route to success. ENIC have failed to increase the revenue sufficiently to make a difference.
The point I am trying to make is that Spurs appear to have no 'football' involved in their decision-making processes. Most PL clubs do have ex footballers integrated into their 'football' decisions. Our managers appear to be 'coaches' who are maybe asked if they want such and such a player but who appoints the coach.
The point I am trying to make is that there is no way you can have a sustainable edge in appointing a manager or a coach or indeed in recruitment irrespective of who is involved in the decision.
Who are these ex footballers involved in this process at other clubs...I can't think of many.
You just need to Google the question. For example:
As of March 2026,
at least 8 Premier League clubs have former professional footballers serving in key executive or "decision-making" roles such as Sporting Director, Technical Director, or Head of Recruitment. While almost every club's decision-making process involves a manager (most of whom are former players), these specific executive positions are distinct as they oversee long-term strategy, recruitment, and squad building.
- West Ham United: Former club captain Mark Noble serves as Sporting Director, working closely on strategic and football decisions.
- Liverpool: Richard Hughes, a former midfielder, was appointed as Sporting Director in 2024, working alongside Michael Edwards (CEO of Football) to shape the squad.
- Manchester City: The club has maintained a structure of utilizing former players at high levels, with former player Txiki Begiristain serving as Director of Football, and it was announced that Hugo Viana (former Newcastle/Sporting CP player) would take over this role in 2025.
- Arsenal: Edu Gaspar (former Arsenal player) served as Sporting Director, playing a crucial role in recruitment before leaving in 2024, at which point Andrea Berta took over, maintaining a structure of specialist directors.
- Crystal Palace: Dougie Freedman served as Sporting Director for many years, managing the recruitment of key players like Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi, and the club has continued to rely on technical football minds.
- Bournemouth: Former player Simon Francis was appointed as Technical Director, placing him in a key decision-making role regarding club strategy.
- Wolves: Matt Hobbs acts as Sporting Director, with Matt Jackson (former Everton/Norwich defender) working as Technical Director.
- Manchester United: Jason Wilcox (former Blackburn winger) was hired as Technical Director to assist in footballing decisions.
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I can make no sense of that reply because that appears to agree with what I said in the first place.
How about Paratici then...but that only makes nine clubs. So bizarrely you've proved that Spurs were one of the minority of clubs who had a footballer involved. By the way Berta isn't a footballer. Lange was a coach so has more of a football background.
I read it several times it still makes no sense to me. However, to address your question/ I would have thought it was self evident that the reason we are in the present mess we are in is because decisions were made that take no account of the core activity i.e. producing a quality football team. Or perhaps more accurately, poor decisions were taken. Number one being not recognising the extent to which injuries to first team players would damage Spurs results. Appointing/sacking Frank, buying a midfielder similar to what we already have rather than addressing areas that we were short in. Bringing in a temporary manager who has no experience of the Premier League or Tottenham at a crucial time of the season. He may learn enough in time to save Spurs season but he is up against it. Any number of English based managers are available. All decisions made post Levy and for me highlighting why it was foolish to get rid of him in such a knee jerk way.
The obvious issue is they're bereft of confidence, and have been for some time, yet nobody seems to be trying to address that with the possible exceptions of Porro or Romero at least trying to restore a degree of pride
That's why the shoulders immediately slump at the first setback, be it the fault of the players or manufactured by yet another suspect referee's decision
That's the point, Paratici has gone, suggesting he did not agree or like the decisions the club had been making. He WAS the football man. I am not sure we are disagreeing at all.
I think our only disagreement is whether having a footballer in a senior position makes any difference. About half the clubs do and about half don't. I can't see a pattern of better performance in the ones that do.
I also don’t think there is much evidence of poor decision making. We've had half the squad out injured most of the season and there are at least five games where luck or different refereeing decisions could have turned a loss into a win.
Yes the problem is losing so many senior players to injury. No pattern? Clubs with former footballers involved in the decision making process:- Bournemouth, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and West Ham. That's a pretty impressive list apart perhaps from the last named. That is in fact 5 of the top 6. Spurs are also named because of Lange but he is not a former player.
I think you really are clutching at straws to say you see no evidence of poor decision making. Being 1 point away from relegation places is pretty strong evidence of poor decision making. Including not taking into account our disastrous injury crisis and looking for senior players in the January window. I am sure this is what Redkhapp would have done.
You left out Crystal Palace and Wolves from the list. I would say Palace and Bournemouth exceeding expectations and West Ham and Man Utd below expectations with everyone else about right based on wealth alone.
Cant find evidence for Palace or Wolves having footballers on their boards or involved in the decision making process.
Only West Ham are currently underperforming. Nevertheless, the top 5 are performing to type Spurs are not. It is only now, that serious changing decision are needed that the situation is exposed at Spurs. Most of all the failure to take notice of the effect that losing half our squad to injury has and the pathetic response to that situation. One of the world's top ten football clubs and they can't find players to fill the gaps in the squad, that should be enough, more than enough, for those responsible to resign.
He is right but the solution is tricky to implement because of the stadium covenants which mean we can't increase the losses we already make each year.