The organizational structure at Tottenham Hotspur is, at least from the perspective of an outsider looking in, murky, byzantine, and confusing. We at Carty Free have wished for a clear and transparent organizational flowsheet so that we know who the leaders are, what their roles are, and how the leadership structure is organized. None of that is especially forthcoming.
However, after reading the minutes of the latest Fan Advisory Board meeting from Tuesday, June 16, we have at least a little more clarity on some aspects of the organizational leadership, including the reported search for a Director of Football to replace Fabio Paratici, and the role of new Performance Director Rafi Moersen.
First, CEO Vinai Venkatesham noted that while Tottenham had been (and presumably still are) in the process of searching for a top level Director of Football to replace Fabio Paratici, the club is in no rush to do so, and that any additions to the leadership structure in that area will be completed at an appropriate time. It was noted that a summer transfer window is NOT the appropriate time to make that change.
– from Tottenham Hotspur Fan Advisory Board meeting minutes, June 16, 2026
This is a significant, if potentially overlooked, statement. It suggests that any changes to the structure in the leadership over recruitment and player sales will not take place for a while and certainly not in this current window. We’ve long said here at Carty Free Towers that the best time to make a change regarding Johan Lange’s leadership in this area was September 2, but the second best time to do so is today. This statement from Venkatesham is a clear indication that the fruit basket will not be upset anytime soon, and that Lange will remain with a key role in this area for the foreseeable future.
That’s going to provoke some interesting opinions from people, I’m sure. But at a certain level it makes sense -- this is a critical time for the club as it attempts to refresh the squad after two consecutive 17th place finishes and a relegation scare this past season. We might as fans disagree with Lange’s job performance over the past several seasons, but this is confirmation that the club still retains confidence in Lange and we shouldn’t expect a change in his position for now.
Elsewhere, the minutes also clarified the role that new Program Director Rafi Moersen will play at Spurs. Moersen’s role is, at least in part, tied to player recruitment and for now he is reporting to Sporting Director Johan Lange.
[Moersen] advised that his remit includes recruitment, player transactions, infrastructure, player
care and responsibility for the Women’s Team. He emphasised the importance of player
welfare, relationship-building and improving football outcomes and explained his role in
player trading at his previous Club.
So it appears that Moersen, if not driving the bus, has a very important role in recruitment, one that, should we take an optimistic view, could build upon the work Lange has done over the past couple of windows to the club’s benefit.
The focus on the Women’s team is also important, as Moersen is taking temporary leadership over Tottenham Hotspur Women until a permanent hire (Women’s Growth Director) can be found. There was also acknowledgement that the Women’s team has been neglected, but that the club is now committed to its growth and success.
There’s a lot more good information in the minutes regarding the clubs’ ongoing effort to extract itself from the failures of the past two seasons, and the ongoing refresh at all levels of the club. It’s worth digging into, but the Lange and Moersen bits were the things that stuck out to me upon reading.