As we begin a new Premier League season, I wanted to welcome you back to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on behalf of everyone at the Club.
The start of any campaign brings anticipation, but this season feels especially important. Last season was one of the most challenging this Club has ever experienced and we all know that can never be repeated.
There have been significant changes made to put us on the right path for the future and there is a real sense of energy and optimism for the season ahead.
The focus of our Ownership and Board is clear. We want to build teams capable of competing at the highest level. This applies across both our Men’s and Women’s teams. Tottenham is ‘one club, two teams’ and both will be given the support, resources and environment they need to fulfil our ambitions.
I know that many supporters feel they have too often just heard words and not seen actions. This summer has been focussed on action and I wanted to summarise some of the most significant work undertaken around our Men’s team:
Our Squad: We have strengthened our men’s squad with a clear focus on the quality, character and physical robustness needed to achieve our aims. We have attracted the names we wanted to attract, adding players with proven Premier League experience alongside talent we believe can continue to develop and improve with us.
Player Availability: We have suffered too many injuries in recent years. Sweeping changes have been made to our Performance team, bringing in top experts with new skills and expertise to transform the way we work across performance, medical and physical preparation. We have made significant changes to our first team gym to provide the right environment to improve the resilience of our squad. Things cannot be expected to change overnight, but we have the right building blocks in place to improve player availability.
Player Trading: Successful clubs have to be decisive about both recruitment and sales, and selling well is critical in modern football. We have too often held onto players for too long. This summer, we have been more aggressive in selling players at what we believe is the right point, structuring deals to ensure we enjoy future upside as players achieve future milestones in their careers.
Young Players: We want to develop players through our Academy that can play for our first team. Our Academy must remain fundamental to the future of Tottenham Hotspur. We have been very active in signing a number of players this summer aged 16 and below, to ensure we have the best possible pipeline of players for the future.
Hotspur Way: A number of changes have been made at our Training Centre focussed on ensuring the environment is optimised to drive results. Whether that be a new tactical briefing room, changes to the player restaurant or simply changing imagery and branding so the building looks and feels like a home for high performance.
Connection: I have consistently heard from supporters and ex-players that they feel disconnected from their Club. We are determined to correct this and have us all connected as one Spurs family. Our history and heritage are fundamental to that. Tottenham has a rich identity, shaped by generations of players, supporters and moments that have made this Club what it is, and we want to ensure that history is much more visible and connected. Hopefully you have seen some steps we have started to take in doing this, whether through the content we have been putting out on our channels or welcoming back a large number of our ex-players for lunch with our current squad. There is much more to do and rebuilding that sense of connection and belonging will take time, but it matters enormously to us.
It has been a busy summer, a lot of work is underway and we will continue to rebuild and reset. There will be challenges, as there always are in football, but we start this season with belief, determination and togetherness.
Thank you for your incredible support. Welcome back, let’s make this a season we can all be proud of.
Thank you,
Vinai Venkatesham